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Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer has urged Lancashire to name a stand at Old Trafford after James Anderson, arguing that the retired England fast bowler deserves lasting recognition for his service to the county. Engineer praised Anderson’s control and ability to move the ball both ways, with the suggestion reported on October 26, 2026, after Anderson’s 25-year association with Lancashire came to an end.
The proposal is Engineer’s recommendation, not an announcement by Lancashire Cricket. The county has not confirmed any decision to name a stand after Anderson. Engineer’s appeal follows his own honour at Old Trafford, where a stand was named jointly for him and former West Indies captain Sir Clive Lloyd in July 2025.
Engineer said Anderson stood apart when conditions helped the ball swing and seam. In comments reported by PTI, he pointed to Lancashire’s history of accomplished opening bowlers, including Brian Statham, Peter Lever, Ken Higgs and Wasim Akram, before placing Anderson above them in those conditions.
“Jimmy Anderson takes the cake when swing and seam conditions are available,” Engineer said, according to the report. He also highlighted Anderson’s ability to swing the ball either way while maintaining control, qualities that made the fast bowler one of England’s most influential Test players.
Engineer’s view carries a Lancashire perspective as well as an international one. He represented the county between 1968 and 1976, playing 175 matches and scoring 5,942 runs. His record for the club also included 429 catches and 35 stumpings, and he was part of a period in which Lancashire won the Gillette Cup four times between 1970 and 1975.
Anderson’s relationship with his boyhood county lasted 25 years. Lancashire recently confirmed that it would not offer the 44-year-old a new contract, bringing that association to a close. The development has prompted discussion about how the club should recognise a player who has made a major contribution to English cricket and spent much of his career connected to the county.
Anderson retired from international cricket in July 2024, finishing with 704 wickets from 188 Test matches. That remains a landmark record for a fast bowler in the format. His final Test appearance came against the West Indies at Lord’s, ending an international career that spanned more than two decades.
Engineer also recalled a conversation with Anderson after the fast bowler was omitted from England’s tour of the West Indies in 2022, following a 0-4 Ashes defeat in Australia. Engineer said he encouraged Anderson at a family event, telling him he remained the best swing bowler he had seen and urging him not to be discouraged. Anderson subsequently returned to the England side and went on to pass 700 Test wickets.
Old Trafford’s existing tribute to Engineer and Lloyd provides the backdrop to his proposal for Anderson. Lancashire formally named the B Stand the Sir Clive Lloyd and Farokh Engineer Stand in July 2025, unveiling the honour on the opening day of the fourth Test between England and India.
The club said the shared stand recognised two of its most influential overseas players and their contributions to Lancashire’s history. Lloyd played for the county from 1968 to 1986 and was a two-time World Cup-winning captain with the West Indies. Engineer’s own Lancashire career coincided with a successful period in one-day cricket, including multiple Gillette Cup victories.
Engineer believes Anderson should receive comparable recognition for his service. His proposal is for a separate stand to carry Anderson’s name, alongside the existing tributes to Lancashire greats. Whether the club acts on the suggestion remains to be seen, and no formal decision has been reported.
Any move to name a stand after Anderson would need to come from Lancashire Cricket. As of the reports published on October 26, the idea remains Engineer’s public appeal rather than an approved plan. The county has not announced a timetable, a location for a potential stand or any formal consultation about the proposal.
The debate nevertheless reflects Anderson’s standing in the game and his long connection to Old Trafford. Engineer’s argument rests on the fast bowler’s skill, longevity and contribution to Lancashire, while the club’s existing honours show that Old Trafford has previously commemorated players whose influence extended well beyond their statistics. For now, Anderson’s proposed stand is an idea for Lancashire to consider, not a confirmed change to the ground.
