Anderson Moves Into Ownership as Lancashire Exit Leaves Playing Future Unclear

James Anderson has been announced as co-owner of the Napoli Knights, one of the franchises in a new T10 league in Italy due to launch in Rome next month. The news arrives days after Lancashire confirmed they would not offer the 44-year-old a new contract, leaving his playing future unresolved.

The Italia T10 League, founded by Apex T10 Limited, a company owned by former Essex and Surrey batter Nadeem Shahid, runs from November 18 to 29. The Napoli Knights will be operated by Activate Sport and Leisure, the British talent management agency run by former Lancashire wicketkeeper Luke Sutton, who was named co-owner alongside Anderson. Sutton managed Anderson for several years earlier in his career.

When contacted, Sutton did not immediately confirm whether Anderson has invested his own money in the franchise or whether he has instead been given sweat equity.

Lancashire Exit Draws Criticism

Anderson was informed last week by Paul Farbrace, Lancashire’s new director of cricket, that the club did not intend to offer him a contract for next season. He made his disappointment clear in an Instagram post on Sunday, saying: “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.”

Stuart Broad, his former England teammate, criticised the club’s handling of the situation on his podcast on Tuesday. “I didn’t like it from Lancashire,” Broad said on For the Love of Cricket. “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 and it shows a lack of leadership at that club.”

It is not yet clear whether Anderson will seek a new deal with another county for 2027. He has been growing his presence in the media for several years, working regularly as a pundit for the BBC and featuring on the Tailenders podcast. He also briefly worked with England in a coaching capacity after his international retirement two years ago.

An Unlikely Franchise Conversion

Anderson’s move into T10 ownership comes as a surprise given his limited enthusiasm for franchise cricket. He has played short-form cricket only sporadically across a long career and claimed last year that he “hated every minute” of his brief stint with Manchester Originals in the Hundred, where he played three matches.

“Cricket has given me so much throughout my career, and the opportunity to be involved in the game in a completely different way is something I’m really excited about,” Anderson said in a press release. “Luke and I have a close history, so to be taking on this new challenge together is particularly special.”

“The Italia T10 is an exciting concept, and there’s a huge opportunity to help raise the profile of cricket in Italy while bringing together some fantastic players and creating an entertaining tournament. Of course, we want Napoli Knights to be competitive and challenge for the title, but we also want to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself.”

Sutton added: “We’re incredibly excited to be joining the Italia T10 as owners of Napoli Knights. Having spent so much of our lives involved in cricket, Jimmy and I see this as a fantastic opportunity to be part of something new and ambitious, and to help grow the game in an emerging cricket nation.”

Italian Cricket on the Rise

Cricket’s profile has grown steadily in Italy. The men’s national team competed at the T20 World Cup for the first time earlier this year and beat Nepal by 10 wickets in one group game. The side relies heavily on foreign-born players with Italian heritage, with Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen and the Australian allrounder Harry Manenti captaining them.

The owners of Quetta Gladiators, the PSL team, are also involved in the Italia T10 league, having purchased the Rome franchise. Other investors include Indian and Pakistani businessmen. The league says it aims to deliver entertaining cricket, showcase talent and engage audiences in Italy and internationally.

For Anderson, the venture represents a different kind of involvement in the game, one that arrives at a moment when his future as a player remains uncertain.

                                               

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