Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has slammed English county Lancashire for their treatment of James Anderson. Lancashire, earlier this month, didn’t renew Anderson’s contract.
Anderson is the only fast bowler to take 700 or more Test wickets to date. The 44-year-old first featured for the county back in 2002. He has stayed loyal to them all these years, and after retiring from international cricket in 2024, he has continued to serve them. Last season, he even captained them while taking 50 wickets in 11 championship games at an average of 17. However, the team finished 7th in the second division.
This past Sunday, Anderson expressed his disappointment at the decision. Broad, who took 604 Test wickets and opened the bowling with Anderson in dozens of matches, has now come out in support of his former team-mate and criticised the English county.
“I didn’t like it from Lancashire. It was not done in the right way. I think it was disrespectful. You give your icons or greats of the game a better send off than that,” the 40-year-old said on the For The Love of Cricket podcast.
“It shows a lack of leadership at that club. It shows a lack of doing it the right way. Paul Farbrace [Director of Cricket] is new, but where is the chair? Where is the board demanding that this is done in a better way?” I get the thought process, ‘we could probably get two half-decent cricketers for the one and losing that salary’.”
Anderson is still in demand
Despite Lancashire choosing to part ways, there are, according to reports in the British media, many counties that have shown interest in Anderson. Broad is not surprised. “It doesn’t surprise me that some counties have already been on the phone and seeing what his interest levels are. I don’t know what his next steps are. I think his statement was quite interesting. There will be a lot of counties that want him. He offers a huge amount, he’s still one of the best bowlers in the country,” he said.
Last week, after keeping things to himself for a few days, Anderson addressed the matter and expressed his disappointment in an emotional social media message. “I’ve supported Lancashire since I was a kid, and so to get to play for them for 25 years was a dream come true. I have always found it special walking out to play at Old Trafford and have some incredible memories of doing so, including the honour of being captain – if it was up to me, it wouldn’t have ended like this, but I wish the players and fans all the best for the future,” he wrote.