Great England fast bowler James Anderson is proving that age is just a number. James Anderson is set to extend his remarkable career beyond his 44th birthday after agreeing a new contract with Lancashire for the 2026 season.
Anderson, who had already retired from international cricket in 2024, was contracted for the 2025 County Championship season, but his consistent talent has now earned him another year with Lancashire County Cricket Club.
James Anderson signs new contract with Lancashire
The latest one-year deal means Anderson’s professional career will extend into the 25th year since making his debut for Lancashire in 2001. In 2025, the veteran fast bowler took 17 wickets in six County Championship games and made a spectacular comeback to T20 cricket after a decade away from the format.
The great England fast bowler took 20 wickets for Lancashire across formats, showcasing his enduring class and adaptability.
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Those performances also earned Anderson his first stint in franchise cricket, as he joined Manchester Originals in The Hundred. Meanwhile, Anderson, who captained Lancashire in the County Championship, is likely to continue leading the county team in 2026 as well.
The new contract is another chapter in his extraordinary journey. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that Anderson would be knighted in the coming weeks for his services to cricket.
James Anderson focuses on county cricket
Meanwhile, James Anderson finished his career with 704 wickets as he brought down the curtain on his illustrious career at Lord’s after the first Test against West Indies in 2024. He is third in the list of all-time Test wicket takers behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.
Following his retirement, Anderson briefly worked as a bowling consultant with the England cricket team, but left this role the previous summer to concentrate solely on Lancashire.
Following his departure, New Zealand’s Tim Southee took over the role, but his participation in England’s upcoming Ashes 2025–26 remains uncertain due to his own commitments.
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James Anderson likely to return to England coaching staff as Tim Southee’s availability uncertain
Meanwhile, England’s preparations for the Ashes 2025-26 in Australia have been dealt a blow, with bowling consultant Tim Southee uncertain about his availability. The former New Zealand fast bowler, who joined the England coaching staff in May as a specialist skills advisor across all formats, is now expected to be available only for the first Test in Perth, starting on November 21.
The reason behind Southee’s limited involvement with England was the schedule clash with the upcoming ILT20, which begins on December 2 this year. The early start of the ILT20, which was moved forward to February to avoid clashing with the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, leaves little room for Southee to commit to a full Ashes tour.
Southee’s short-term availability adds an extra layer of uncertainty to the team’s preparations ahead of the high-stakes Test series. James Anderson could return as England’s consultant for the Ashes in his absence.