The career does not end! James Anderson, 44, will play in Italy after leaving Lancashire

James Anderson (Photo: Reuters) James Anderson is set to continue his cricket career in Italy after Lancashire decided not to renew his contract. The 44-year-old former England fast bowler will captain and co-own the Napoli team in the 10-over cricket tournament.Anderson spent 25 years at Lancashire and remains one of England’s most successful bowlers, having played more than 400 matches across formats and taken nearly 1,000 wickets.

Anderson takes on a new role in Italy

The 10-over tournament will run for 12 days at the Roma Cricket Ground from November 18.Anderson will be among the biggest names to take part alongside the likes of Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Dawid Malan as well as members of the Italian national team.The competition was created by former professional cricketer Nadeem Shahid and Aamir Akhtar, who helped establish a major cricket tournament in Nepal.Shahid said Italy’s growing interest in cricket and its inclusion in the Olympics made the country an attractive destination.“The potential for cricket in Italy made it a big draw,” Shahid told Reuters. “One of the things that made it attractive is that the Italian Olympic Committee started to take it seriously after it became an Olympic sport.”

Focus on growing cricket outside the tournament

The competition also aims to develop Italian cricket by offering free entry to matches and hosting coaching sessions.Anderson’s company, Activate Sport & Leisure, will be involved in some of these clinics as Italy works to develop players for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.Anderson said his team wants to fight for the title while supporting the long-term development of the sport in the country.“Obviously we want the Napoli Knights to be competitive and contend for the title, but we also want to contribute to something that continues to grow beyond the tournament itself,” Anderson said.