Watch: James Anderson searches for lost ball in bushes during County Championship 2026 — and the Internet can't stop laughing

England’s greatest ever player, James Anderson, was seen searching for the lost ball in the bushes during the Division Two game of the County Championship 2026 between Lancashire and Worcestershire. The Lancashire captain was trying to find the ball as it crossed the boundary on the fourth day’s play. 

The commentators, who were calling the game at the Trafalgar Road Ground in Southport, were left amused by the simplicity of Anderson and wondered if someone else would have put them in the spot and taken over the searching job for the lost ball.

Anderson spotted rummaging through bushes for a lost ball — Here’s exactly what happened and why

It was a short delivery from Tom Hartley as the right-handed batter went on his back foot and pulled the ball into the leg side for a boundary. As the ball crossed the rope, it entered the bushes, and the security guard was unable to find it, only to get full support from Anderson.

Watch James Anderson searching lost ball:

Eventually, the ball was found, and the play resumed. The rain-marred encounter at the venue ended in a draw. The home side was restricted to 211 runs for the loss of five wickets in the third innings.

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But the best moment of the day was the veteran rummaging through the bushes for the lost ball as the James Anderson bushes video went viral across social media platforms.

Which County Championship 2026 match was Anderson playing in? Full context of the bizarre mid-game moment

In the first innings of the contest, Worcestershire was bundled out for 270 runs in 82.4 overs. Their opener, Daniel Lategan, smashed a fine knock of 53 runs, thanks to eight boundaries, while Matthew Waite nailed 77 runs, smashing nine boundaries.

In reply, Lancashire finished their first innings with 281 runs to grab a vital 11-run lead. Keaton Jennings blasted a decent knock of 69 runs with five fours, while Paul Coughin contributed 61 runs in the lower order.

See Also: Watch: 43-year-old James Anderson begins net practice ahead of County Championship 2026

Anderson, who is the third leading wicket-taker in Tests with 704 scalps in 180 Tests at an average of 26.45 and a strike rate of 56.87 with 32 five-wicket hauls just over India's Anil Kumble in the list, picked four wickets in the County Cricket 2026 clash. 

Fans react to Anderson’s unforgettable lost-ball search — Memes already going viral

The fans found it a great chance to create their memes, which went viral, around the unforgettable lost-ball search operation of Anderson in the County Championship 2026 clash-