Jimmy Anderson’s stubborn refusal to give up has fuelled his greatest achievements | Emma John
Lancashire have moved on without him, but the 44-year-old England stalwart wants to keep going as long as his body allows
Jimmy Anderson could teach Philip Marlowe a thing or two about The Long Goodbye. England’s leading wicket-taker in Tests is of that sporting breed who have no interest in bowing out at the top. Like Andy Murray before him, he has shown little enthusiasm to bow out at all, as long as his body allows him to keep doing the thing he loves: getting opposition batsmen out.
It was little surprise, then, that when Lancashire announced this week they would not be renewing his contract after 25 years, there was no immediate retirement announcement. Instead there was an irked Instagram post, then silence, as the one-club man considered his options. One of those, apparently, was a T10 cricket tournament in Rome. And lo, it is now confirmed that Anderson will lead (and even “co-own”) the Napoli Knights for 12 days next month.