Anderson to play in The Hundred for Originals

James Anderson has returned to domestic cricket with Lancashire this season

England legend James Anderson has been selected by Manchester Originals for this year's Hundred, the first franchise tournament of his 25-year career.

Anderson, who will be 43 when the tournament begins in August, has been picked up by the Originals in the wildcard draft.

The pace bowler, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, retired from international cricket last year.

In his desire to keep playing, he entered the first draft for The Hundred and the Indian Premier League, but was not selected.

The Hundred wildcard draft allows each team to add two additional players to their squad.

In a raft of wildcard picks, Anderson's Lancashire team-mate Rocky Flintoff has joined Northern Superchargers.

The 17-year-old has never played a professional T20 match but joins a squad led by his father Andrew, who is head coach at Superchargers.

Anderson signed a one-year deal to continue playing for Lancashire and has impressed in this year's T20 Blast, his first T20 cricket in 11 years.

The link-up with the Originals continues his association with Lancashire's home ground of Old Trafford, where the side are based and where Anderson has an end named after him.

If Anderson features for the Originals during The Hundred he will become the competition's second-oldest player after spinner Imran Tahir, who was 43 when he appeared for Birmingham Phoenix in 2022.

This year's Hundred begins on 5 August, with the final at Lord's on 31 August.

2025 wildcard selections

Birmingham Phoenix: Mary Taylor, Phoebe Brett; Liam Patterson-White, Louis Kimber

London Spirit: Abi Norgrove, Kate Coppack; Sean Dickson, Ryan Higgins

Manchester Originals: Esmae MacGregor, Darcey Carter; James Anderson, Marchant de Lange

Northern Superchargers: Katherine Fraser, Sophia Turner; James Fuller, Rocky Flintoff

Oval Invincibles: Daisy Gibb, Rebecca Odgers; George Scrimshaw, Zafar Gohar

Southern Brave: Phoebe Turner, Amara Carr; Toby Albert, Hilton Cartwright

Trent Rockets: Grace Thompson, Sophie Morris; Callum Parkinson, Ben Sanderson

Welsh Fire: Charley Phillips, Alex Griffiths; Ajeet Singh Dale, Ben Kellaway