James Anderson's Surprising Career Move After Lancashire Snub

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-28

James Anderson, the 44-year-old England bowling legend, has taken an unexpected turn in his career. Just days after Lancashire told him they wouldn't offer a new contract, Anderson has become co-owner of the Napoli Knights, a franchise in the new Italia T10 League. It's a move that raises eyebrows—and plenty of questions. ### From Pitch to Boardroom: Anderson's New Role The Italia T10 League runs from November 18 to 29 in Rome, and it's the brainchild of Apex T10 Limited, founded by former Essex and Surrey batter Nadeem Shahid. The league confirmed on Tuesday that Activate Sport and Leisure, a British talent management agency, will operate the Napoli Knights. Luke Sutton, a former Lancashire wicketkeeper who managed Anderson early in his career, runs Activate and holds the co-owner title alongside Anderson. Sutton didn't immediately confirm whether Anderson invested his own money or received a stake in exchange for his work—often called sweat equity. Either way, Anderson is excited. "Cricket has given me a great deal," he said in a press release. "I'm excited to be involved in the game in a different capacity." He added that he wants the Knights to compete for the title while contributing to the long-term growth of the sport in Italy. Sutton called it an opportunity to help an emerging cricket nation. ### Lancashire's Decision Leaves Playing Future Open Paul Farbrace, Lancashire's new director of cricket, informed Anderson last week that 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. Anderson hasn't said whether he'll look for a contract with another county in 2027. His media work has expanded over the past several years. He appears regularly as a pundit for the BBC, features on the Tailenders podcast, and worked briefly in a coaching role with England after retiring from international cricket two years ago. Former England teammate Stuart Broad criticized Lancashire's handling of the matter on his podcast, For the Love of Cricket. Broad said the club didn't treat Anderson with the respect a player of his standing deserves and called it a failure of leadership. ### A Rare Foray into Franchise Cricket The new role stands out because Anderson has played little short-form cricket. He appeared in three matches for Manchester Originals in the Hundred last year and later said he hated every minute of the experience. So why jump into a T10 league ownership role? Maybe it's less about playing and more about shaping the game behind the scenes. ### Italy's Growing Cricket Profile Italy's growing profile in the sport formed part of the league's pitch. The 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 relies heavily on foreign-born players with Italian heritage, and Derbyshire's Wayne Madsen and Australian allrounder Harry Manenti have captained it. ### Investors from Around the World Other backers have joined the competition as well. The owners of the Pakistan Super League side Quetta Gladiators bought the Rome franchise, and investors from India and Pakistan are also involved. The league states that it aims to deliver entertaining cricket, showcase talent, and engage audiences in Italy and abroad. Napoli Knights will begin their campaign when the tournament opens in Rome next month. For Anderson, it's a fresh start—and a chance to prove that his impact on cricket extends far beyond the boundary rope.