Portugal Colonial - England great Anderson to play on for Lancashire

Anderson was effectively pushed into England retirement last year as team management looked to refresh their attack ahead of the upcoming Ashes series in Australia.

He signed a new 12-month deal to play the 2025 season at Old Trafford, the home of Lancashire, which shares its name with the nearby Manchester United football ground and where the Pavilion End has been renamed the 'James Anderson End'.

Anderson took 17 wickets in six Rothesay County Championship outings and impressed in the Blast, his first T20 cricket for a decade, to earn a spot in the Hundred for Manchester Originals.

The paceman, renowned for his skill as a swing bowler has now committed to playing in the County Championship and T20 Blast in 2026 to extend his professional career to some 25 years.

Anderson, whose 704 wickets are a record for any fast bowler in Test cricket and who will turn 44 in July, said Thursday: "I've really enjoyed my cricket this year and still feel like I've got plenty to offer.

"I'm as hungry as ever to perform and contribute to the team's success across both red- and white-ball cricket."

Only Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia's Shane Warne, both spinners, have taken more Tests wickets than Anderson, who had brief consultancy coaching role with England in the 2025 season before resuming his playing career at Lancashire.

T.Vitorino--PC