James Anderson has been announced as co-owner of the Napoli Knights, a franchise in the newly formed Italia T10 League that is set to launch in Rome next month.
The league is scheduled to run from November 18 to 29 and has been founded by Apex T10 Limited, a company owned by Nadeem Shahid, the former Essex and Surrey batter.
As reported by Cricinfo, the announcement came on Tuesday, October 27, when the league confirmed that the Napoli Knights franchise would be operated by Activate Sport and Leisure, a British talent management agency. Anderson takes on the co-ownership role alongside Luke Sutton, the former Lancashire wicketkeeper who heads Activate and who managed Anderson for several years earlier in his career.
The news arrives shortly after Lancashire confirmed they would not be offering Anderson a contract for the coming season. Paul Farbrace, Lancashire’s new director of cricket, informed Anderson of the decision last week. Anderson made his feelings known in an Instagram post, drawing speculations that the decision to part ways was not mutual.
Why does Anderson’s T10 ownership come as a surprise?
Anderson’s move into franchise ownership is unexpected given his well-documented reluctance towards short-format cricket. Across a long career, he played short-form cricket only sporadically, and last year he stated that he ‘hated every minute’ of his brief spell with Manchester Originals in the Hundred. Despite that history, Anderson has spoken warmly about his new role.
“Cricket has given me so much throughout my career, and the opportunity to be involved in the game in a completely different way is something I’m really excited about. Luke and I have a close history, so to be taking on this new challenge together is particularly special,” Anderson said in a press release, as quoted by Cricinfo.
Anderson went on to describe the Italia T10 as an exciting concept, saying there was a significant opportunity to raise cricket’s profile in Italy, bring together quality players and create an entertaining tournament. He added that while Napoli Knights would aim to be competitive and challenge for the title, the broader goal was to contribute to something that continues to grow well beyond the tournament itself.
“We’re incredibly excited to be joining the Italia T10 as owners of Napoli Knights. Having spent so much of our lives involved in cricket, Jimmy and I see this as a fantastic opportunity to be part of something new and ambitious, and to help grow the game in an emerging cricket nation,” Sutton added in the release.
What is the wider context of cricket in Italy and the Italia T10 League?
Cricket’s profile has grown steadily in Italy in recent years. The men’s national team competed at the T20 World Cup for the first time earlier this year and recorded a victory over Nepal by 10 wickets in one group game. The squad relies heavily on foreign-born players with Italian heritage, with Derbyshire’s Wayne Madsen and Australian allrounder Harry Manenti among those who have captained the side.
The Italia T10 League has attracted notable investment beyond the Napoli Knights franchise. The owners of Quetta Gladiators, the Pakistan Super League side, have purchased the Rome franchise, while other investors in the league include Indian and Pakistani businessmen. The league has stated that it aims to deliver entertaining cricket, showcase talent and engage audiences in Italy.
It remains unclear whether Anderson will seek a playing contract with another county for 2027, but various sources have reported that there are multiple suitors for the 44-year-old who pocked up 50 wickets in 11 Division Two matches in 2026. He has been building a media presence for several years, regularly working as a pundit for the BBC and featuring on the Tailenders podcast. He also briefly worked with England in a coaching capacity following his international retirement two years ago.
