England great Anderson to play on for Lancashire

James Anderson has signed a new one-year contract at county club Lancashire, meaning England's all-time most successful bowler is set to carry on playing first-class cricket beyond his 44th birthday.

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'.

🗣️ “Continuing from the Sir James Anderson End” 🤩

🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/G3FRznY7EO — Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) November 13, 2025

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 on 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."

🗣️ @jimmy9 sat down with #LancsTV after he put pen to paper on a new one-year deal with the Club.

Watch the full interview: https://t.co/PG5TMg8OGv

🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/XKSaWoTKgS — Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) November 13, 2025

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.