Anderson, 44, not offered new Lancashire contract

Lancashire have opted against offering a new contract to 44-year-old fast bowler James Anderson, meaning he will not play at Old Trafford in 2027. Anderson captained the club in 2026, taking 50 wickets and winning Lancashire's Championship Player of the Year award despite the team finishing near the bottom of Division Two. It remains unconfirmed whether Anderson will retire or seek to play for another county to extend his professional career.

The decision comes during major organizational restructuring at Lancashire under interim chair Dame Sarah Storey, chief executive Richard Kenyon, and newly appointed director of cricket Paul Farbrace. Anderson, who took 704 Test wickets for England before retiring internationally in 2024, made his Lancashire debut in 2001 and has taken 443 first-class wickets for the county.