Anderson leading Lancs for next two County games with Marcus Harris absent to attend the birth of his child.
Anderson leading Lancs for the next two games in absence of regular skipper Marcus Harris.
James Anderson, 42, will captain Lancashire in their next two County Championship games. Marcus Harris is returning to Australia to give birth to his kid, therefore Anderson will fill in as captain in the interim.
Despite being in excellent form in the Vitality Blast, Anderson has only made one appearance in the Championship this season due to a calf injury that kept him out for the first six weeks. He will skipper the team for the first time as a professional XI when they play Kent in Blackpool commencing on Sunday.
With Harris replacing Keaton Jennings following a challenging season that also cost Dale Benkenstein his position as head coach, Anderson will be Lancashire’s third red-ball captain this summer.
“Jimmy [Anderson] will lead the side and it is exciting for him and us,” Steven Croft, Lancashire’s interim head coach, told the BBC. “He has captained only once and that was in a pre-season tour T20 game in Dubai so it will be nice for Jimmy and nice for the lads.
“He has obviously got a lot to offer on and off the field. It will be a proud moment for him. It is not obviously all on Jimmy but it helps and his presence, particularly as captain, is a massive boost for the rest of the lads.”
Lancashire has had a great start to the Blast, winning four of six games to sit third in the North Group, but they are currently second from bottom in Division Two after drawing five and losing two of their seven games. Having made his comeback to the format after over ten years away, Anderson has contributed by collecting ten wickets in four games.
Following the Championship’s two rounds on Friday, the Blast will take a break. Lancashire will host Kent before travelling to Chesterfield to play Derbyshire. Ashton Turner and Chris Green, two Australian international acquisitions, will be available for Lancashire to use in place of Harris for both games.