Michael Atherton has defended Lancashire’s handling of James Anderson’s resignation, claiming that the team handled the bowler’s departure with respect and openness. Anderson, who led Lancashire’s red-ball team in the County Championship in 2026 and took 50 wickets at an average of 17.68, will not be getting a new contract for 2027. Paul Farbrace, the Red Rose’s new director of cricket, has said that he intends to develop an assault that is future-focused after the team placed second to last in Division Two that season.
According to Michael Atherton, Lancashire handled James Anderson’s resignation with decency and transparency. Anderson, who took 50 wickets at an average of 17.68 while leading Lancashire’s red-ball squad in the County Championship in 2026, will not be receiving a new contract for 2027. After the side finished second to last in Division Two that season, Paul Farbrace, the Red Rose’s new director of cricket, stated that he plans to create an assault that is future-focused.
Atherton said, “Forget age, young or old, if you are good enough, you are good enough, so you can make a perfectly good argument he should still be leading that Lancashire attack. Where I disagree with some of the comment elsewhere is that it has not been handled well, both by England and Lancashire. When somebody like Paul Farbrace comes in as director of cricket at Lancashire, or in England’s case Rob Key, when they’ve decided to move on, how do you do that?”
He further added, “In both instances, Anderson was told face-to-face. It wasn’t done behind his back. Jimmy wasn’t expecting [his Lancashire release], it took him by surprise, but it was face-to-face. They told him the rationale and then when the members meeting was held, I think Farbrace was abroad, but he dialled in and didn’t hide behind the decision. He took full accountability for it. So I don’t think you can say it’s been handled badly. I thought England were right to move on at the stage that they did but Lancashire, if I’d have been in that position, I might have tried to get a season out of him next year.”
Anderson, now 44 years old, has not yet committed to extending his county career beyond Lancashire. He is set to feature in the Italia T10 League in Rome later this month and has been named as co-owner for Napoli Knights. When asked whether he could see himself playing for Yorkshire, Anderson replied that he would not have thought so, leaving his immediate future uncertain as he considers his options following his departure from Old Trafford.
