At 44, Anderson Is Not Done: Napoli Knights Captain in Italy's New T-10 League

James Anderson, the highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers in Test cricket in an England shirt, is not finished with the game at 44. After his 25-year association with Lancashire came to an end, the legendary pacer is taking on a new challenge in Italy's T-10 cricket.

Anderson has become a co-owner and captain of the Napoli Knights in the first edition of the Italia T-10 League. Six franchises will take part in the tournament, which starts on 18 November.

With the Naples-based side, Anderson will work alongside former Lancashire wicketkeeper Luke Sutton. The new venture gives him the chance to lead as well as play, and one of the tournament's stated aims is to grow cricket's popularity in Italy.

Anderson's long relationship with Lancashire ended when the county did not offer him a new contract. The 44-year-old pacer was simply not given a deal.

His long-time teammate Stuart Broad did not take that well. The former England pacer criticised the manner of Anderson's farewell as "disrespectful".

Yet Anderson had an outstanding County Championship season at 44, taking 50 wickets at an average of 17. Lancashire were competing in the second division, but he still won the club's player of the year award.

On the "For the Love of Cricket" podcast, which he co-hosts with Jos Buttler, Broad questioned how the no-contract decision was communicated. "The way Lancashire told him the news, I think it was quite disrespectful," Broad said. "Honestly, I didn't like Lancashire's behaviour. I felt it wasn't done properly."

Broad added: "I think legends of a team, or greats of the game, should be given a better farewell. They deserve a more respectful goodbye. This incident is proof of a leadership crisis at the club and of a failure to do the job properly. It made me uncomfortable. If Jimmy Anderson wants to play another year, and after taking 50 wickets at 17 there is still no way to keep him, that is sad."

Anderson himself, though, is excited by the chance to stay involved with cricket in a new way. "Cricket has given me a lot in my career," he said. "Now I am very excited to have the opportunity to be involved with the game in a completely different way."