Stuart Broad calls Lancashire’s treatment of James Anderson ‘pretty disrespectful’

Stuart Broad has accused Lancashire of treating James Anderson “pretty disrespectfully” after the county decided not to renew the contract of England’s all-time leading wicket-taker.

Anderson, 44, was informed last Monday that he would not be offered a contract for the 2027 season, bringing his 26-year professional association with Lancashire to an abrupt end. The seamer first played for the county in 2001 and remained one of their leading performers during a difficult campaign.

He took 50 wickets in Division Two of the County Championship last season, captained Lancashire in the competition and was named the club’s Championship player of the year. Lancashire finished second-bottom, however, and new director of cricket Paul Farbrace has said the club intends to rebuild with the aim of securing promotion and challenging for the Division One title within three or four years.

“It was not done in the right way. I think it was disrespectful,” Broad said on the For Love of Cricket podcast. “You give your icons or greats of the game a better send-off than that.”

Farbrace delivered the decision to Anderson at a meeting with newly appointed chief executive Richard Kenyon. Lancashire did not issue a public statement until Sunday, while Anderson said on Instagram that, if the decision had been his, “it wouldn’t have ended like this”. He stopped short of confirming his retirement and said he had hoped to continue playing into the summer of 2027.

The decision dominated a meeting between club officials and around 200 members at Old Trafford on Monday. Supporters were angered that the timing had prevented them from properly thanking Anderson, and Lancashire agreed to investigate arranging a farewell. Farbrace, who joined the meeting by video from the United States, took responsibility for the decision and repeated that Anderson’s age and the club’s long-term rebuilding plans had shaped the call.

Broad, who formed a celebrated England new-ball partnership with Anderson before retiring at the end of the 2023 Ashes, questioned the leadership surrounding the announcement. Their combined 1,039 Test wickets in 138 matches are a world record for a bowling partnership.

“Paul Farbrace is new, but where is the chair? Where is the board demanding that this is done in a better way?” Broad said. He added that, although Lancashire may believe Anderson’s salary could fund two younger players, several counties have already shown interest because he remains “one of the best bowlers in the country”.

Anderson has taken 911 international wickets, a record for England and for any pace bowler, while his Lancashire returns include 443 first-class wickets, 83 in List A cricket and 50 in T20 matches. He also remains involved in the game away from county cricket and has become a co-owner of the Napoli Knights, who will compete in the six-team Italia T10 tournament in Rome from 18 to 29 November. He is expected to play for and captain the franchise.