England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, James Anderson, has emerged as a surprise target for Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States, according to a report by BBC Sport.
Senior figures from at least one MLC team have expressed interest in Anderson following his recent comments about a potential return to white-ball cricket.
The unnamed franchise is reportedly exploring the possibility of signing the 42-year-old for the third edition of the T20 tournament, set to take place next year. Anderson could earn an estimated £135,000 for a brief stint in MLC, which has attracted several high-profile players in its 2024 season.
Notably, Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins secured a lucrative deal with the San Francisco Unicorns until 2027, while fellow Australians Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Travis Head played for Washington Freedom, coached by Ricky Ponting, which won this year’s tournament.
Anderson, who retired from international cricket after claiming 704 Test wickets, ended his career following the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s in July. He has since joined England’s coaching staff and remains on a central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) until the end of September.
Last week, Anderson confirmed that he would continue as a fast-bowling mentor for England during the Test series against Pakistan in October and is set to accompany the team on their tour of New Zealand in December.
Although Anderson has not played a T20 match since 2014 when he represented Lancashire in the Blast, he believes he is still “fit enough” and “good enough” to compete in the format. His focus on red-ball cricket over the past decade has meant he has yet to participate in overseas franchise leagues.
Several England stars, including World Cup winners Liam Plunkett and Jason Roy, have played in previous editions of MLC. In 2023, Roy relinquished his ECB white-ball contract to sign a £300,000 deal with the Los Angeles Knight Riders.
Launched in 2023, MLC featured a 19-game season, but will expand to 34 matches in 2025, having received official List A status earlier this year.
