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Didn’t Entirely Willingly Retire From International Cricket: James Anderson
Follow UsAnderson retired last year at Lord's against West Indies
It’s been one year since James Anderson bid goodbye to international cricket, playing his last game for England against West Indies at Lord’s, getting a grand and emotional farewell with his family and friends present.
Any ‘human’ fast bowler would have hung up their boots by 42, but Anderson is superhuman, so he’s still going strong for Lancashire, playing red-ball cricket and T20 cricket in the Vitality Blast.
If it was up to him, Anderson would still be playing for England. He revealed in a column for The Times that he didn’t ‘willingly’ retire from international cricket, and was given the tap on the shoulder by the management.
“I retired from international cricket last year, but not entirely willingly,” Anderson wrote.
“I had a meeting with the captain, coach and director of the England cricket team in April, and they said they wanted to move in a different direction, and bring in some younger guys ahead of the Ashes.
“They kept me on in a team coach/mentor capacity, but I felt I still had an itch to scratch, and more cricket to play while my body was still able to. So I spoke to Lancashire and they got me on board.”
Anderson further wrote how he was looking forward to the Ashes, and retirement was not on his mind at all when he was told by the management that they were moving on from him.
“I’ll be honest, retirement was not in my head. I was still bowling as well as I ever had, and my body was in good shape. I was looking forward to the Ashes,” Anderson wrote.
“All sport needs young people coming onto the scene, but you have to balance that with age and experience. It’s difficult. I’d been told that as long as I was good enough to warrant a place in the team, and fit enough, they’d keep picking me… but then they changed their mind.
“I did see their point. I wasn’t angry, though my wife was; probably still is. But then she’s always been my biggest supporter, my biggest help throughout my career.”
Next month, Anderson will make his Hundred debut, having been signed by the Manchester Originals.