Stuart Broad has criticised Lancashire for the way the county handled James Anderson’s departure, describing the decision not to renew the England great’s contract as “disrespectful”.

Lancashire have decided not to extend Anderson’s playing contract for the 2027 season, bringing an end to his remarkable 25-year association with his boyhood county. Broad believes the decision itself may be understandable, but the way it was communicated and handled was not appropriate for a player of Anderson’s stature.

‘You Give Your Greats a Better Send-Off’

Speaking on the For the Love of Cricket podcast, Broad said he was unhappy with how Lancashire handled the situation.

“I didn’t like it from Lancashire. I thought it was not done in the right way. I thought it was disrespectful,” Broad said.

“You give your icons or greats of the game a better sign-off, a better send-off than that.”

Broad also questioned the club’s leadership, saying the new director of cricket Paul Farbrace could not have been expected to make the decision earlier because he was new to the role, but senior leadership should have ensured that Anderson received a proper farewell.

Anderson Took 50 Wickets in 2026

The decision came despite Anderson enjoying an impressive County Championship campaign.

The 44-year-old took 50 wickets at an average of 17.68 and captained Lancashire’s red-ball side during the 2026 season. However, Lancashire finished seventh in the eight-team Division Two and are now looking to rebuild their squad with promotion as the immediate objective.

Incoming director of cricket Paul Farbrace said Lancashire want to build a squad capable of earning promotion and then challenging for the Division One title within three to four years.

As part of that rebuilding process, the club decided not to extend Anderson’s contract for 2027.

Anderson Was Also Disappointed

Anderson admitted that the decision was not what he wanted after spending 25 years with Lancashire.

“I’ve supported Lancashire since I was a kid, and so to get to play for them for 25 years was a dream come true,” Anderson said.

He added that playing at Old Trafford had always been special and that he was honoured to captain the side.

“If it was up to me, it wouldn’t have ended like this, but I wish the players and fans all the best for the future.”

Despite the disappointment, Anderson has not announced his retirement from cricket. Broad believes several counties could still be interested in signing him.

“He still offers a lot. A lot of counties would want him. He’s still one of the best bowlers in the country,” Broad said.

A Record-Breaking Anderson-Broad Partnership

Anderson and Broad formed one of the greatest bowling partnerships in Test history during their England careers.

Together, they took 1,039 wickets in 138 Tests, the most wickets by any bowling partnership in Test cricket. Anderson finished his England Test career with 704 wickets, while Broad took 604.

Anderson retired from international cricket in 2024 but continued playing county cricket for Lancashire. His 50 wickets in the 2026 Championship campaign demonstrated that he remained highly competitive despite being 44.

Anderson’s Career Continues in Italy

Although his long Lancashire chapter is coming to an end, Anderson’s playing career is not over.

He will captain and co-own the Napoli Knights in Italy’s new Italia T10 competition. The 10-over tournament is scheduled to begin on November 18 at the Roma Cricket Ground and will feature six teams.

Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Dawid Malan are also among the high-profile players expected to take part. The project is also aimed at helping develop cricket in Italy and supporting the country’s long-term Olympic ambitions.

So while Anderson’s Lancashire farewell did not happen in the way he or Broad would have wanted, the England great still has another chapter to write in his remarkable cricket career.