England Test captain Ben Stokes with teammate James Anderson (PTI Photo/Vijay Verma) James Anderson has given a brutally honest assessment of his experience at The Hundred, admitting he “hated every minute” of playing in the tournament last year, in remarks unlikely to please the organisers.The veteran seamer, widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of the game and the only pace bowler to take 700 Test wickets, appeared in three matches for Manchester Originals during the 2025 edition after impressing in the T20 Blast. However, his stint yielded just two goals and, by his own admission, little enjoyment.
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James Anderson, one of the best bowlers I have faced, says Virat Kohli “Last year it was a mixture of hating every minute of The Hundred if I can say it, and especially being the captain this year I think it’s really important that I focus on being as fit as possible for those four days,” Anderson told The Independent.“When The Hundred comes around, I hope to be somewhere on holiday,” he added.The remarks are significant given the England and Wales Cricket Board’s efforts to grow and promote the 100-ball format. Anderson’s comments, while sincere rather than deliberately critical, cast a shadow over the perception of the tournament among traditionalists and players alike.Now 43 and retired from international cricket from 2024, Anderson is fully focused on the red ball game. He took over as permanent captain at Lancashire after a brief spell in charge last season where he managed five games, winning two, drawing two and losing one.Following his appointment, Anderson expressed his pride and ambition for the role. “It was a huge privilege to captain Lancashire for the first time last season and I am honored to take on the role full-time for the new season,” he said.“We have a fantastic group of players, a great mix of youth and experience and I’m excited about what we can achieve with promotion back to Division One, our number one priority,” he added.With the start of the new county season, Lancashire begin their campaign away to Northamptonshire. Anderson has made it clear that he is firmly focused on leading the team back into Division One.“I want the team to progress this year,” he said.“I want all the players to enjoy it. Remember why we started playing cricket is because we love the game. County cricket, he knows, can feel like a treadmill. To try and bring the boys back to the fact that it’s not just a job, it’s something we love to do.”For Anderson, the priority is clear. The red ball game comes first and his brief unfortunate experience at The Hundred seems to have only reinforced that belief.
