Stuart Broad slams Lancashire for 'disrespectful' treatment of James Anderson

Former England pacer Stuart Broad has hit out at county club Lancashire for their treatment of veteran James Anderson, with whom he took 1,039 wickets in 138 Tests as a pair. The statement comes after Anderson was forced out of his boyhood club as Lancashire decided not to renew his contract. Anderson, 44, had ended his England career under similar circumstances in 2024 and was on a yearly contract basis with the county club. Lancashire had finished second-from-bottom in Division Two of the County Championship this season. Anderson, however, took 50 wickets at an average of 17 while leading the side, though that couldn't help the side turn their season around.

Broad lashes out at Lancashire for Anderson treatment

"I didn't like it from Lancashire," Broad said on the For The Love of Cricket podcast. "It was not done in the right way. I think it was disrespectful. You give your icons or greats of the game a better send-off than that," he added.

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The decision to not renew Jimmy Anderson's contract was taken after a change in leadership of the county. Daniel Gidney stood down as chief executive and Mark Chilton was let go as director of cricket. The club brought in Richard Kenyon from Nottinghamshire as the new chief executive and Paul Farbrace as the new director of cricket from Sussex.

Broad questioned the leadership of the county as well and said: "It shows a lack of leadership at that club. It shows a lack of doing it the right way. Paul Farbrace is new, but where is the chair? Where is the board demanding that this is done in a better way?"

What Anderson said about his unceremonious departure?

"I've supported Lancashire since I was a kid, and so to get to play for them for 25 years was a dream come true. I have always found it special walking out to play at Old Trafford and have some incredible memories of doing so, including the honour of being captain - if it was up to me it wouldn’t have ended like this, but I wish the players and fans all the best for the future," Anderson had written in an Instagram post.