On Friday, October 10 the English cricket icon will be heading to West Yorkshire for an unrivalled evening of never-before-heard stories, straight from inside the England dressing room.
Ahead of the Bradford date – part of a tour that is already underway – sports reporter Harry Williams sat down with England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker for an exclusive, two-part interview.
In the second instalment, Anderson opens up about a range of topics, including: Lancashire’s fierce rivalry with Yorkshire, missing international cricket, England’s Test with India, breaking records and more.
WAR OF THE ROSES
Yorkshire’s rivalry with Lancashire, known as the “Roses rivalry” or “War of the Roses”, goes way back, stemming from the 15th-century conflict for the English throne between the House of Lancaster (red rose) and the House of York (white rose).
Of course, the rivalry continues today in a number of forms, but most prominently in sports like cricket and rugby league, and is characterised by strong regional pride.
For Anderson, it was only ever going to be Lancashire. He was born in Burnley, went to primary and secondary school in Burnley, played for Burnley Cricket Club from a younger age, and then went on to represent Lancashire in his teen years.
And ‘Jimmy’ still represents his county to this day at the age of 43.
When asked about the historic rivalry between Yorkshire and Lancashire, Anderson was full of admiration for it.
He spoke with warmth and honesty about what the fixture has meant to him throughout his career.
He said: “I’ve loved it.
“I’ve played with many Yorkshire players for England, and there’s always been that little niggle in the dressing room.
“You always want to beat Yorkshire – but Yorkshire really want to beat Lancashire. It’s all about bragging rights, so to speak.
“We’ve had some great battles over the years, and it’s a game every player from both sides looks forward to.
“It hasn’t always been easy for me going to Headingley.
“In the earlier stages of my career, I had a few moments standing in front of the Western Terrace – and let’s just say, I got plenty of stick.
“But in recent times, it’s been a much better experience for me.”
Jimmy Anderson has long been a key figure in English domestic cricket – especially in the legendary Roses rivalry between Yorkshire and Lancashire (Image: Richard Sellers/PA Wire) INTERNATIONAL DAYS
After a record-breaking career spanning over two decades, Anderson officially called time on his international career in July 2024, bringing the curtain down on an extraordinary journey that saw him become England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker and one of the most accomplished fast bowlers in cricket history.
Now, with the dust beginning to settle, ‘Jimmy’ has had time to reflect on life beyond the England set-up – and while there’s still a part of him that misses the heat of international competition, he’s found real fulfilment in his new chapter with Lancashire.
He said: “There are definitely times when I miss it (international cricket).
“Watching a bit of cricket this summer; seeing the battles unfold, how close the games get and how much the crowd gets into it – that’s something I really do miss.
“However, I do feel I’ve come to terms with it now.
“I’ve really settled into life at Lancashire, and I’m keen to help the team achieve some success over the next year or two.
“So, to an extent, I do miss playing for England but I’m really enjoying what I’m doing at the moment.”
That being said, Anderson believes he could still do a job for his country.
“I’m going to say yes,” the English icon said in response to whether he could still lead England’s bowling attack at Test level.
“I wouldn’t still be playing cricket if I didn’t think I was bowling well enough.
“Obviously, the coach (Brendon McCullum), captain (Ben Stokes) and Director of Cricket (Rob Key) for England have chosen to go in a different direction, and I’ve made peace with that.
“But deep down, I know I could still do a job.”
Jimmy Anderson signed off with an astonishing total of 704 Test wickets from international duty (Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire) A SUMMER OF DRAMA
It was an enthralling summer of action as England played out a gripping 2-2 draw with India in a fantastic Test series.
In the final Test, England narrowly lost a hard-fought contest at Lord’s, where India’s resilience with the bat and disciplined bowling proved decisive.
However, there were still positives to take from the match – particularly the performance of Ben Stokes with the ball.
And it was the left-handed batsman who impressed Anderson the most on the bowling front.
He said: “Strangely, I thought Ben Stokes bowled out of his skin and was England’s best bowler by a mile.
“That’s a credit to him. He’s always had the skills and ability to bowl match-winning spells, but over the last few years, he’s become much more consistent.
“He’s really worked hard at his bowling, and for me, he was the standout against India.”
Anderson added: “It’s obviously great to see Jofra Archer back in the Test lineup as well. I think he’ll be a key player for England in Australia (at the Ashes).
“As a bowling group, I think we’re in a really good place right now.
“It was a real shame to see Chris Woakes pick up an injury in the last game, but I believe there’s enough depth in the squad to be successful in Australia.”
Ben Stokes impressed with ball in hand for England over the summer (Image: Richard Sellers/PA Wire) RECORD BREAKER
In 2015, ‘Jimmy’ Anderson etched his name even deeper into cricket history by becoming England’s all-time leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, surpassing the legendary Sir Ian Botham.
The 43-year-old fast bowler, already the most successful seamer in Test history globally, continues to defy age and expectations.
Despite the historic milestone, Anderson was characteristically modest when reflecting on his achievements, choosing instead to highlight the team moments that have defined his career.
He said: “It’s strange, because I don’t really think about personal milestones when I look back at my career.
“My favourite memories are the ones where we’ve won Test series — winning the Ashes in 2010/11 is a standout, for example.
“Getting to number one in the world shortly after that Ashes win is another moment that really sticks with me.
“Those are the things that stay in your mind when you reflect on your career as a player.
“I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved — taking the wickets I have and playing for as long as I have.”
Jimmy Anderson (left) never failed to impress in high pressure moments (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire) A FUTURE IN COACHING
After retiring from international cricket in July 2024, Anderson briefly joined the national set-up’s coaching staff to act as a fast-bowling mentor for the players.
This, despite signing a one-year contract to play for Lancashire in the 2025 season.
However, although he kept the doors open to further coaching opportunities, he prioritised playing for Lancashire for the 2025 season.
In response to whether to a career in coaching is viable in the future, Anderson admitted: “I’m not exactly sure what’s going to happen over the winter, but I’m definitely keen to progress my coaching.
“If the opportunity comes up, I’d like to work towards getting my coaching badges during the winter months.
“Being around Lancashire this year, I’ve tried to offer something from a coaching perspective, but I also know I need to develop my knowledge in that area.
“If I can do that, then maybe coaching will be on the cards in the future.”
Tickets still remain for Anderson’s St George’s Hall visit, so if you’re interested in attending the show, click this LINK.