James Anderson to lead Napoli Knights in Italia T10 league
What's the story
Legendary England cricketer James Anderson is all set to continue his playing career in Italy. The former English pacer will lead and co-own the Napoli Knights, one of the six franchises in the upcoming Italia T10 league. The decision comes after Lancashire, where he played and captained this year, chose not to renew his contract. The county parted ways with Anderson earlier this month.
League details
All you need to know about the tournament
The Italia T10 league is a 10-over-a-side tournament that will be held over 12 days at the Roma Cricket Ground, starting November 18.
It was founded by former professional cricketers Nadeem Shahid and Aamir Akhtar, who also helped set up the Everest Premier League in Nepal.
The tournament will feature high-profile players like Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh, and Dawid Malan along with members of the Italian national team.
Plans
Anderson's company will help Italian cricket
Anderson's company, Activate Sport & Leisure, will be part of coaching clinics during the tournament as Italy aims to nurture homegrown talent for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
"Of course, we want Napoli Knights to be competitive and challenge for the title, but we also want to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself," Anderson said.
Message
Anderson's emotional farewell to Lancashire
Earlier this month, Lancashire announced that the side will not renew Anderson's contract.
In his emotional message, Anderson wrote, "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."
He expressed disappointment over how his time at the club ended but wished the players and fans all the best for the future.
Career
Most successful Test pacer
Anderson made his First-Class debut for Lancashire in 2002 and went on to play 188 Tests, claiming an incredible 1,193 red-ball wickets.
He bowed out in 2024 as the most successful pacer in Test history. With 704 scalps, he is only behind Sri Lanka's Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Australia's Shane Warne (708).
Anderson also has the third-most wickets (991) across formats and the most by a fast bowler.