Lancashire to End James Anderson Contract After 2026 Season

Lancashire will not renew James Anderson’s contract after the 2026 season, ending the fast bowler’s association with the county unless he joins another club. Former England teammate Stuart Broad criticized the way Lancashire handled the decision, saying Anderson deserved a better farewell. Anderson took 50 wickets in the 2026 County Championship and was named Lancashire’s player of the year. His reported average was 17.68, also rounded to 17 in several accounts. He captained the side in Division Two, where Lancashire finished second from bottom. Broad made his comments on the For The Love of Cricket podcast. He called the way Lancashire delivered the news disrespectful and said the club should have arranged a more fitting send-off for one of its leading players. Broad also questioned whether the club’s leadership had done enough to ensure the departure was handled differently. The decision followed a meeting with Lancashire chief executive Richard Kenyon and incoming director of cricket Paul Farbrace. Broad acknowledged that new management needed to assess the squad and the club’s plans, but argued that this did not prevent Lancashire from organizing a farewell for Anderson....