England's James Anderson to captain new Italian cricket franchise

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 17:20 · Archive

James Anderson will captain and co-own Napoli Knights in a new T10 cricket league launching in Italy in November.

England bowling legend James Anderson will captain and co-own Napoli Knights in the inaugural Italia T10 league, a new franchise cricket competition launching in Italy next month. The tournament will run over 12 days from 18 November at the Roma Cricket Ground, featuring six franchises representing Naples, Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence and Bologna. High-profile international players including Chris Gayle, Shaun Marsh and Dawid Malan are set to participate, alongside members of the Italian national squad.

Anderson, 44, is continuing his playing career after being released by Lancashire following 25 years with the club. The tournament is the brainchild of former professional cricketer Nadeem Shahid, who previously co-founded the Everest Premier League in Nepal. Shahid said that having Anderson and former Lancashire team-mate Luke Sutton as franchise owners is 'a massive statement for Italia T10'.

Anderson stressed the broader ambitions of the competition, saying there is 'a huge opportunity to help raise the profile of cricket in Italy' and that whilst Napoli Knights want to be competitive, the focus is on contributing to something that grows well beyond the tournament itself. Italy's participation in this year's T20 World Cup provided a foundation for the venture, with the national team delivering an impressive display in their matches.

How it is being reported

• England legend Jimmy Anderson takes on new cricket challenge in Italy just a week after his Lancashire exit was confirmedLAWRENCE BOOTH: Jimmy Anderson is throwing himself into T10 franchise cricket - as co-owner of Napoli Knights in an unlikely new Italian tournament starting next month.Daily Mail Sport · 27 Oct, 17:06
• England legend James Anderson to lead bold new cricket venture in unlikely destinationThe former England fast bowler will captain and co-own a new franchise alongside global stars Chris Gayle and Dawid Malan as organisers target an Olympic legacy beyond the tournament.Independent Sport · 27 Oct, 16:26

In this story: James Anderson · Chris Gayle · Dawid Malan · Nadeem Shahid · Italy · England · Napoli Knights

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