James Anderson's Surprising Next Move After Lancashire Snub

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-28

James Anderson has a new job, and it's not the one most cricket fans expected. Just days after Lancashire told the 44-year-old England legend they wouldn't offer him a contract for next season, he's joined the ownership group of the Napoli Knights, a franchise in the brand-new Italia T10 League. So what does this mean for his playing future? Honestly, nobody knows yet. But this much is clear: Anderson isn't sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. ### From Fast Bowler to Franchise Co-Owner The Italia T10 League runs from November 18 to 29 in Rome. It was founded by Apex T10 Limited, a company owned by former Essex and Surrey batter Nadeem Shahid. On Tuesday, the league confirmed that Activate Sport and Leisure, a British talent management agency, will operate the Napoli Knights franchise. Anderson shares the co-owner title with Luke Sutton, who runs Activate. If the name sounds familiar, it should. Sutton is a former Lancashire wicketkeeper who actually managed Anderson for several years early in his career. Small world, right? One detail worth noting: when asked, Sutton didn't immediately confirm whether Anderson put his own money into the team or received a stake in exchange for his work. That arrangement is often called sweat equity, and it's pretty common in emerging sports ventures. ### What Anderson and Sutton Are Saying Anderson kept things gracious in a press release. He said cricket has given him a great deal and that he's excited to be involved in the game in a different capacity. He wants Napoli Knights to compete for the title while also helping grow the sport in Italy over the long haul. Sutton framed the venture as a chance to help an emerging cricket nation. And honestly, that pitch makes sense. Italy's men's national team qualified for the T20 World Cup for the first time this year and beat Nepal by 10 wickets in a group game. The squad leans heavily on foreign-born players with Italian heritage, and Derbyshire's Wayne Madsen and Australian allrounder Harry Manenti have both captained it. ### Lancashire's Decision Didn't Sit Well With Everyone Paul Farbrace, Lancashire's new director of cricket, told Anderson last week the club didn't plan to offer him a new deal. Anderson responded on Instagram on Sunday, saying the ending would have been different if the decision had been his. He wished the players and fans well. Former England teammate Stuart Broad didn't hold back on his podcast, For the Love of Cricket. He said the club didn't treat Anderson with the respect a player of his standing deserves and called it a failure of leadership. That's a pretty blunt assessment from someone who knows the dressing room culture well. ### A Rare Short-Format Resume Here's the interesting wrinkle. Anderson has played very little short-form cricket in his career. He appeared in three matches for Manchester Originals in the Hundred last year and later admitted he hated every minute of it. So a T10 ownership role is a different lane entirely, more about building something than bowling four overs. His media work has grown steadily too. He's a regular BBC pundit, features on the Tailenders podcast, and spent a brief stint in a coaching role with England after retiring from international cricket two years ago. ### The League Is Drawing Global Investors The Italia T10 League isn't short on backers. The owners of Pakistan Super League side Quetta Gladiators bought the Rome franchise, and investors from India and Pakistan are also involved. The league says it aims to deliver entertaining cricket, showcase talent, and engage audiences in Italy and abroad. Napoli Knights open their campaign when the tournament kicks off in Rome next month. Whether Anderson ever bowls again in a county shirt remains an open question. But for now, he's got a new title, a new team, and a fresh way to stay in the game he's given so much to.