James Anderson is considering an unexpected return to white-ball cricket after retiring from international football and mulling whether to bid farewell to the franchise.
Anderson, the most productive fast bowler in Test history, retired from international cricket last month following emotional scenes at Lord's and his immediate transition into a coaching role appeared to signal the end of his playing career.
However, the 42-year-old has not officially announced that he has bowled his last and is now mulling whether to sign a contract in the T20 arena or even play in the Hundreds next season.
For someone who has spent most of the last decade as a red-ball specialist and last played a 20-over game in 2014, this may be something of a plot twist, but it also suggests Anderson has some unfinished business on the field.
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Former teammates and family have paid tribute to England's greatest ever bowler James Anderson after he retired from Test cricket.
“I may be in a bit of denial because I know I won't play for England again, but I haven't made up my mind about my actual cricket career yet,” he said. PA News Agency.
“There's definitely some interest in the short form. I've never done a franchise before. Watching Hundred this year and seeing the ball rolling, I feel like I could work there.
“Once this summer is over I'll be able to sit down and really think about whether I want to play cricket again in some form next year. I'm pretty open to any form of cricket at the moment, I'm still fit enough to play and I'm not going to close myself off from anything.
“I'll wait and see if people are interested in getting me involved in that type of thing. I've been doing it for a while now and I know my age will come up again, but I really think I'm good enough to play that type of cricket.”
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Tim Southee took five wickets from 20 balls for Birmingham Phoenix against Trent Rocket in The Hundred.
Anderson has spoken out on behalf of the England and Wales Cricket Board's campaign to encourage participation in the sport of cricket and it appears the only thing stopping him from extending his playing career is the allure of a backroom role in recent times.
The current mentoring role is indefinite but captain Ben Stokes has already floated the idea of Anderson lending his expertise to a possible tour of Australia next winter.
“My love for Test cricket will always be there and the Ashes is the biggest thing you can be involved in as an England player. If you don't play the game, the next best thing is to help the team from the sidelines,” he said.
“It's still a long way to go, and I still have to figure out what I'm passionate about. Stokesy and England have to decide if I'm the right person for the job. So far, it's been smooth sailing, but you never know.”
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James Anderson discusses his new role in the England coaching set-up after retiring from international cricket this summer.
Whatever his next move, Anderson’s love of sport remains unwavering. At a time when the ECB has publicly pledged to make team sports the most inclusive in the country, Burnley’s world-class player is a compelling advocate.
“I was lucky enough to get into cricket because there wasn’t a clear path at school. It’s had a huge impact on my life and who I am and I want as many kids as possible to get that opportunity,” he said.
“I've been in a lot of changing rooms, met a lot of people from different backgrounds and made a lot of friends. I know that the current England team is trying to be a role model for the next generation through the way we play the game and I know that they will continue to do so.”
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