England Test great James Anderson was in the wickets just three overs into his first professional spell since he retired from Test cricket, pegging back Derbyshire opener Caleb Jewell's middle stump with a beauty.
Having been kept out of the first month of the season with a calf injury, Anderson was finally available to play for his boyhood county Lancashire in their fixture against Derbyshire at Old Trafford this week. The home side lost the toss and were put in to bat first, meaning Anderson would have to wait to get the Dukes ball back in his hand. He did, however, finish 4* with the bat in Lancashire's total of 458.
James Anderson strikes three overs into Lancashire bowling return
Just after tea on day two, Anderson was finally running in again, having not played a professional game since his retirement Test against West Indies last year. It wasn't entirely plain sailing, however, and after conceding a boundary off his first over and another off his second, he was hit for 13 runs off the first five balls of his third. He struck back perfectly with the final delivery, bowling a classic Anderson away-decker which castled Jewell's middle and off stump.
Like he's never been away... @jimmy9. 😎
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One also brought two for Anderson, as he struck again in the fifth over of his spell. A ball banged in short took Jewell's opening partner David Lloyd's glove, and ballooned up to the keeper.
Having announced his Test retirement before the series, Anderson played the first Test of England's 2024 home summer against West Indies before bowing out of his international career. He finished with 704 Test wickets – the most for any seam bowler in history – and has been the England team's bowling consultant for much of the last 10 months.
The 42-year-old announced he would continue to play for Lancashire in the 2025 season, in which the side currently sit in last place in Division Two.
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