‘You give your icons a better send-off’: Broad lashes out at Lancashire’s handling of Anderson’s exit
New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has criticised Lancashire’s decision to part ways with James Anderson ahead of the 2027 season, calling the county’s handling of the situation “disrespectful” after the veteran seamer claimed 50 wickets at an average of 17 in the 2026 County Championship.
Broad questioned why the club failed to arrange a more fitting farewell for England’s record Test wicket-taker, despite understanding that Lancashire’s new management needed to assess its plans for the future.
Anderson, 44, confirmed his impending departure in a social media statement after Lancashire decided against offering him a fresh contract. The veteran, who continued playing county cricket after retiring from international duty in 2024, had captained Lancashire in Division Two this season. His performances came despite the club enduring a difficult campaign, finishing second from bottom in the Championship.
Broad acknowledged the change in leadership at Old Trafford but argued that the transition did not excuse the manner in which the decision was communicated.
“It is a pretty disrespectful way for Lancashire to deliver that news to him,” Broad said on the For the Love of Cricket podcast. “He met with the new chief executive and the new director of cricket Paul Farbrace and they said they would not be offering him a new contract. That is October 19. I get that they are new in the role so they could not have done that in August and said, ‘‘sign off, give the fans your goodbye, have your last bowl at Old Trafford’, all that sort of stuff. But there must be some leadership within that club that could have planned that.”
The former England pacer suggested the club could have planned a farewell that allowed supporters to acknowledge one of the most accomplished players in its history. He also recognised the financial and recruitment considerations that may have influenced the county’s thinking, particularly after a disappointing season. However, Anderson’s individual record made the decision difficult for him to understand
“I get that the thought process is probably they can get two half-decent cricketers for the one with losing that salary. They have finished second bottom of the Championship, had a woeful season, they have been poor for a few years, and they need to improve. But Jimmy got 50 wickets at 17 – there are not many bowlers in the country that did that so it does not surprise me that there have already been some counties on the phone to see what his interest levels are,” he added.
The possibility of Anderson continuing his career elsewhere has also emerged, with Broad pointing out that the seamer’s statement did not signal an outright retirement. Given his performances this season, Broad believes other county sides could be interested in securing his services for 2027.
“I don’t know what is next for him. His statement was quite interesting because he didn’t retire. He might look at other options. He still offers a lot and a lot of counties would want him. He is still one of the best bowlers in the country. I didn’t like it from Lancashire to be honest. I thought it was not done in the right way, I thought it was disrespectful. You give your icons and your greats of the game a better sign-off and send-off than that. It shows a lack of leadership at the club,” he added.
Broad further questioned the absence of stronger intervention from Lancashire’s senior leadership, arguing that the club’s board should have ensured the circumstances surrounding Anderson’s departure were handled differently.
“Where is the chair and the board demanding that this be done in a better way? I feel uneasy; I feel uncomfortable about it. If Jimmy Anderson wants to play another year when he has taken 50 wickets at 17 then you find a way to do that,” Broad said.
Anderson’s future remains uncertain following the decision, although his record suggests he could still attract interest from other counties. He retired from international cricket in 2024 after taking 704 wickets in 188 Test matches, making him England’s leading wicket-taker in the format and the most prolific fast bowler in Test history.
–IANS
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