James Anderson is leaving Lancashire after 25 years following the county's decision not to renew his contract.
Anderson admitted on Instagram that if it were up to him, his career with the club wouldn't have ended this way.
The 44-year-old pacer captained the side last season and took 50 wickets following his 2024 international retirement.
'If It Was Up To Me...': James Anderson Breaks Silence After Lancashire Contract Snub
Former England pacer James Anderson broke his silence on the Lancashire snub after the county side decided against offering him a new contract for the upcoming season. Anderson said that if it were up to him, it would not have ended like this.
Summary
Former England cricketer James Anderson has broken his silence after Lancashire decided not to renew his contract for the upcoming season. Anderson has represented Lancashire for 25 years and has never switched teams in first-class cricket.
However, Lancashire opted not to renew his contract despite him captaining the side last season, where he also took 50 wickets at an average of 17.
The 44-year-old former English pacer said that representing Lancashire was his childhood dream, and if it were up to him, the association would not have ended like this.
He took to Instagram and wrote: "I've supported Lancashire since I was a kid and so to get to play for them for 25 years was a dream come true."
"I have always found it special walking out to play at Old Trafford and have some incredible memories of doing so, including the honour of being captain - if it was up to me it wouldn't have ended like this," he added.
Anderson concluded his note by writing, "I wish the players and fans all the best for the future."
He has not said whether he intends to continue playing for another county.
The move matters because Anderson remains one of cricket's most successful fast bowlers. England's highest Test wicket-taker, he took 704 wickets in 188 matches and finished as the most successful fast bowler in the history of the game.
His departure from Lancashire follows an England exit that was also not his choice. Anderson kept playing for Lancashire after international cricket and was named captain of the county last year.
His Lancashire bond runs deep. Born in Burnley, Anderson made his county debut in 2001 and went on to build one of the strongest fast-bowling records in the game.
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He continued to represent Lancashire after leaving England duty and took over as captain of his boyhood club last year. An end at Old Trafford, Lancashire's home ground, has also been named after him.
The numbers show his range. Alongside 704 wickets in 188 Tests for England, Anderson took 269 wickets in 194 One-Day Internationals and 18 wickets in 19 T20 Internationals.
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