James Anderson to Captain Lancashire in Next Two Championship Matches

Veteran England seamer James Anderson is set to lead Lancashire in their upcoming County Championship fixtures as Marcus Harris returns to Australia for the birth of his child.

The 42-year-old will take over the captaincy for matches against Kent and Derbyshire, marking his first time captaining a professional XI. Anderson, who has played only one Championship match this season due to a calf injury, has been in strong form in the Vitality Blast, taking 10 wickets in four games.

This move makes Anderson Lancashire’s third red-ball captain this season, following Harris and Keaton Jennings. The change comes amid a turbulent start to the season that also saw head coach Dale Benkenstein dismissed. Interim coach Steven Croft expressed excitement over Anderson’s leadership, calling it a “massive boost” for the squad.

“He has captained only once before in a T20 pre-season game in Dubai, so it’ll be a proud moment for him and great for the team,” Croft told the BBC.

Lancashire currently sit second from bottom in Division Two with five draws and two losses from seven games. However, they have shown promise in the Blast, where they stand third in the North Group. With the Blast taking a break, Croft sees this Championship stretch as a crucial turning point: “We still have seven games to climb the ladder… this is a pivot in the season.”

Lancashire will also have overseas players Ashton Turner and Chris Green available for these matches.