James Anderson Appointed Lancashire’s Full-Time County Championship Captain

Lancashire confirmed the appointment of the veteran fast bowler James Anderson as their full-time red-ball captain.

Lancashire have appointed James Anderson as their full-time red-ball captain for the 2026 County Championship. The 44-year-old legend will lead the team’s push for promotion back to Division One.

The move follows a difficult 2025 season where Keaton Jennings stepped down as captain and head coach Dale Benkenstein departed. Former player Steven Croft is now head coach and has chosen Anderson as skipper.

James Anderson Leading a New Campaign

Anderson served as interim captain twice during the 2025 season. He took 17 Championship wickets after retiring from Test cricket with a record 704 wickets for England. He also claimed 20 wickets in the Vitality Blast.

He signed a new one-year contract in November and now has over 300 first-class appearances. Anderson expressed his pride in taking on the role permanently.

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“Captaining Lancashire for the first time last season was a huge privilege, and I’m honoured to take on the role full-time heading into the new season. We’ve got a fantastic group of players, a great blend of youth and experience, and I’m excited about what we can achieve together with promotion back to Division One our number one priority,” Anderson said.

Josh Bohannon will continue as vice-captain. Keaton Jennings remains the captain for the Vitality Blast. Lancashire begin their season against Northamptonshire on April 3.