Senior England fast bowler James Anderson has revealed that he didn’t have a good time while playing in The Hundred, England’s marquee franchise cricket league. Anderson said he “hated every minute” of featuring in the competition, where he represented the Manchester Originals in 2025.
Anderson was signed as a ‘wildcard’ for the Originals last year, playing three matches in The Hundred and managing two wickets.
“It was a mixture of hating every minute of The Hundred last year, if I can say that, and especially being captain this year. I think it’s really important that I focus on being as fit as I can be for the four-day stuff. I want to play in the Blast as well again,” Anderson told The Independent.
“When The Hundred is on, I’m hopefully going to be on holiday somewhere,” he added.
While Anderson didn’t give the exact reason for what went wrong in the tournament, there has been a sudden shift in his view of The Hundred.
After being signed by the Manchester franchise, the pacer was elated. He had said that The Hundred was a competition that “I’ve really enjoyed watching”.
“I’m really looking forward to The Hundred and I’m really happy to be part of the Manchester Originals squad. I’ve loved my time with Lancashire this season, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to add value in the Hundred. It’s a competition I’ve really enjoyed watching. When you’re at the games, you can really see that it does attract a slightly different crowd, a lot of younger people and families, and you can’t underestimate how important that is for our game. I can’t wait to get out there,” Anderson was quoted as saying by The Independent.
Anderson, the only fast bowler to date to take 700 wickets in Tests, will lead Lancashire in the new season of the County Championship at the age of 44. Last season, Anderson led the side midway through the tournament.
“Captaining Lancashire for the first time last season was a huge privilege, and I’m honoured to take on the role full-time heading into the new season,” Anderson told the club website after being appointed permanent captain late last year. “We’ve got a fantastic group of players, a great blend of youth and experience, and I’m excited about what we can achieve together, with promotion back to Division One our number one priority.”
Anderson, who retired from international cricket in 2024, said that securing promotion to Division One is what he is eyeing in the upcoming county cricket season.
