Lancashire didn't want Anderson's 50 wickets. Surrey can't believe their luck

Last month Lancashire told James Anderson they had no contract for him. Now the richest county in England wants him.

Sky Sports News and ESPNcricinfo both report that Anderson's representatives have held talks with Surrey about the 2027 season. Nothing is signed yet. The deal would be for first-class cricket only, so no Blast and no One-Day Cup. He would just bowl the long spells he has always bowled.

Cricinfo reports that he thought about retiring after Lancashire's decision. Then several counties from both divisions called, and he decided to keep playing somewhere else.

New director of cricket Paul Farbrace wants to build an attack for the future after several poor red-ball seasons. That's a fair aim on paper.

The problem is that Lancashire's only reliable bowler was the 44-year-old. The team finished ahead of only Gloucestershire in Division Two, and the captain still averaged under 18 with the ball. Releasing your best performer doesn't fix the rest of the side. It just leaves you without your best performer.

Atherton's argument is narrower than it sounds. He says Lancashire handled the conversation properly. He doesn't say they were right to have it. Stuart Broad called the treatment "disrespectful" on For the Love of Cricket. Atherton is answering that charge about how it was done. The cricket question is still open.

Anderson's own account was more personal. He told the BBC's Tailenders podcast he was "sad" and "quite shocked". He also said it made him wonder if something was "fundamentally wrong with me as a person". That isn't how someone sounds when they're ready to stop.

Surrey's drop from three titles in a row to seventh happened because their bowlers kept going missing. Dan Worrall and Jordan Clark played eight Championship games each. Lawes and Topley were injured. Gus Atkinson and Matt Fisher were mostly away with England.

2027 is an Ashes summer, so it will be worse. Henry Crocombe, newly signed from Sussex with a two-year ECB deal, is likely to be away with England too. Surrey need someone who won't get a call-up. Nobody is less likely to get one than a 44-year-old England has already retired.

The salary cap isn't a problem either. Nine of their players are centrally contracted, so the ECB covers a large share of their wage bill. That leaves Surrey plenty of room.

Anderson's first international game was an ODI against Australia in December 2002. Alec Stewart was in that England side. Stewart is now Surrey's director of cricket, and he would be the one signing him.

Our view: this is a good deal for Surrey and a bad look for Lancashire. Surrey get a proven Championship bowler, available all season, at a ground that suits him, for one format. Lancashire made their decision for long-term reasons. If Anderson takes 40 wickets in a Surrey shirt next summer while their own attack struggles, they'll have to defend it every week.

He has already lined up the Italia T10 with Napoli Knights this month. On this evidence, he isn't planning to stop at 45 either.