James Anderson is set to captain Lancashire in their forthcoming two County Championship fixtures, following Marcus Harris’s return to Australia for the birth of his child. At the age of 42, this opportunity marks the first time Anderson will captain a professional team.
Despite being sidelined with a calf injury for the initial six weeks of the season, Anderson has made a successful return in the Vitality Blast. He is prepared to lead Lancashire against Kent, in Blackpool, starting this Sunday. This will be a new leadership experience for Anderson at this level, stepping into the role succeeding Harris, who had taken over from Keaton Jennings as the team’s red-ball captain earlier in the summer.
Steven Croft, Lancashire’s interim head coach, shared with the BBC, “Jimmy [Anderson] will lead the side and it is exciting for him and us. He has captained only once and that was in a pre-season tour T20 game in Dubai so it will be nice for Jimmy and nice for the lads.” Croft sees Anderson’s leadership as a great asset, both on and off the field. “It will be a proud moment for him. It is not obviously all on Jimmy but it helps and his presence, particularly as captain, is a massive boost for the rest of the lads.”
Currently, Lancashire is positioned second from last in Division Two, with five draws and two losses in seven matches. Yet, their form in the Blast has been far stronger, boasting four victories out of six, placing them third in the North Group. Anderson’s comeback has been a significant factor, having taken ten wickets in four outings since returning to the format after over ten years.
As the Blast pauses after Friday’s games, the focus will shift to two rounds of the Championship. Lancashire will first host Kent before travelling to Derbyshire in Chesterfield. While Harris will miss these encounters, Lancashire will have Australian overseas players Ashton Turner and Chris Green available.
Croft commented on the team’s prospects, saying, “The way I’m looking at it and what I will say to the team is this is a pivot in the season. Seven games that have gone before we can’t do anything about. But we still have seven games to climb the ladder and there is still a chance we can go up.” He added, “We are only a few wins away from being right at the top so we can use it as a pivot in the season to get in the right direction. That break with the Blast, suddenly those wins seem a little bit more attainable.”
