Lancashire treatment of Anderson disrespectful - Broad

Published4 hours ago

Lancashire have been "pretty disrespectful" in their treatment of legendary bowler James Anderson, says his long-time England bowler partner Stuart Broad.

Anderson, 44, was told last week he will not have his contract renewed by the Red Rose county, ending his 26-year professional career with the club.

Anderson took 50 wickets in the County Championship last season and served as captain, but incoming director of cricket Paul Farbrace has decided he wants to rebuild the struggling side, who finished second bottom in Division Two of the County Championship, for the future without England's all-time leading wicket-taker.

"I didn't like it from Lancashire," Broad said on the For The Love of Cricket podcast, external.

"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."

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Farbrace, who moved from Sussex at the end of the season, has not yet officially started in his new role at Lancashire but delivered the news to Anderson at a meeting last week alongside chief executive Richard Kenyon, who has also recently been appointed.

The news was first reported on Wednesday and Lancashire did not comment officially until Sunday. At a meeting with members on Monday, the club said they would look into arranging Anderson a farewell.

"It shows a lack of leadership at that club," said Broad, whose combined total of Test wickets with Anderson stands at a record 1,039 in 138 Tests.

"It shows a lack of doing it the right way.

"Paul Farbrace is new, but where is the chair? Where is the board demanding that this is done in a better way?"

Speaking publicly for the first time since the decision on Sunday, Anderson, who also had his England career cut short in 2024 in similar circumstances, expressed his sadness at the situation but stopped short of retiring.

Other counties are understood to be interested in signing the veteran.

"I get the thought process, 'we could probably get two half-decent cricketers for the one and losing that salary'," Broad added.

"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."

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