44-year-old James Anderson will play in Italy after Lancashire decided not to renew his contract. The former England bowler will captain a Naples-based team in a 10-over tournament starting November 18. Anderson said, "We want to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself."
James Anderson (Photo by Reuters)
James Anderson is set to continue his cricket career in Italy after Lancashire decided not to renew his contract. The 44-year-old former England fast bowler will captain and co-own a Naples-based team in a 10-over cricket tournament. Anderson spent 25 years with Lancashire and remains one of England’s most successful bowlers, having played more than 400 matches across formats and taken nearly 1,000 wickets.
Anderson takes on new role in Italy
The 10-over tournament will run for 12 days at the Roma Cricket Ground from November 18. Anderson will be among the biggest names taking part, alongside players such as Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Dawid Malan, as well as members of Italy’s national team. The competition was created by former professional cricketer Nadeem Shahid and Aamir Akhtar, who helped establish a major cricket tournament in Nepal. Shahid said Italy’s growing interest in cricket and its inclusion in the Olympic Games made the country an attractive destination.
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"The potential for cricket in Italy made it a big draw," Shahid told Reuters. "One of the things that made it attractive is the Italian Olympic Committee beginning to take it seriously after it became an Olympic sport."
Focus on growing cricket beyond the tournament
The competition also aims to develop Italian cricket by offering free entry to matches and organising coaching sessions. Anderson’s company, Activate Sport & Leisure, will take part in some of these clinics as Italy works towards developing players for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. Anderson said his team wants to compete for the title while also supporting the sport’s long-term development in the country. "Of course, we want Napoli Knights to be competitive and challenge for the title, but we also want to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself," Anderson said.