New Delhi, June 17 (IANS) Legendary England pacer James Anderson will captain Lancashire in their next two County Championship matches, stepping into the role as Marcus Harris returns to Australia for the birth of his child. This interim captaincy marks a special milestone in the 42-year-old’s career, as he prepares to lead a professional side for the very first time

Anderson, who has played just one Championship match this season due to a calf injury, has found his rhythm in the Vitality Blast — a format he returned to after over a decade — taking 10 wickets in four matches. He will now channel that form into red-ball leadership, starting with the match against Kent in Blackpool on Sunday, followed by an away fixture against Derbyshire in Chesterfield.

“Jimmy will lead the side and it is exciting for him and us,” interim head coach Steven Croft told BBC sport. “He has captained only once and that was in a pre-season tour T20 game in Dubai, so it will be nice for Jimmy and nice for the lads. He has obviously got a lot to offer on and off the field. It will be a proud moment for him.”

The leadership switch comes amid a season of transitions for Lancashire. Harris had taken over the red-ball captaincy from Keaton Jennings following a poor start to the campaign that also saw head coach Dale Benkenstein depart. Anderson will now become the club’s third Championship captain this summer, stepping into a pivotal role at a crucial juncture in the season.

Lancashire are currently languishing second from bottom in Division Two, with five draws and two losses in seven games. However, their form in the Vitality Blast has offered a silver lining, winning four of six to sit third in the North Group. Croft believes the team is poised for a turnaround in the Championship campaign.

“The way I’m looking at it, and what I will say to the team, is this is a pivot in the season,” Croft added. “Seven games that have gone before, we can’t do anything about. But we still have seven games to climb the ladder, and there is still a chance we can go up

–IANS

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