Legendary English Pacer James Anderson Explores Major League Cricket Bid
England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker, James Anderson, is considering a potential move to the United States' Major League Cricket (MLC) following his recent retirement from international cricket. BBC Sport reports that Anderson's comments about returning to white-ball cricket have piqued the interest of at least one MLC team, which is eager to explore the possibility of his participation in the 2025 edition of the T20 tournament.
A key figure in English cricket for nearly two decades, Anderson concluded his international career in July 2024, after amassing an unmatched 704 Test wickets. Although he devoted the latter part of his career to red-ball cricket, Anderson believes he is still "fit enough" and "good enough" to excel in white-ball formats. His last competitive T20 outing was in 2014, representing Lancashire in the Blast.
Upon his retirement, Anderson transitioned to a coaching role as England's bowling consultant and continues to hold an ECB central contract until September. He is slated to join the England team on their tours of Pakistan in October and New Zealand in December.
The 42-year-old's potential MLC involvement could be lucrative, promising earnings of around £135,000 for a short stint. MLC, launched in 2023, is expanding from a 19-game season to 34 games by 2025 and has gained List A status. The league has already drawn notable players such as Australia’s Pat Cummins, who has a contract with the San Francisco Unicorns until 2027, and stars like Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Travis Head.
Anderson's move to MLC, supported by influential backers including Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella, aims to attract top English players. England World Cup winners Liam Plunkett and Jason Roy have previously participated, with Roy relinquishing an ECB white-ball contract worth up to £70,000 to secure a £300,000 two-year deal with the Los Angeles Knight Riders.
Earlier, SSP wrote that Jannik Sinner defeated Jack Draper in US Open Semi-Final.