New Delhi [India] June 17 (ANI): Former England legendary seamer James Anderson is set to lead Lancashire in their next two County Championship matches, with the 42-year-old stepping into an interim role due to Marcus Harris returning to Australia for the birth of his child, according to ESPNcricinfo.

He has played once in the Championship this season, after a calf injury ruled him out for the first six weeks, but has been in good form in the Vitality Blast.

He is set to lead the side against Kent in Blackpool starting on Sunday, which will be his first experience of captaining a professional XI.

Anderson will become Lancashire's third red-ball captain this summer, with Harris having succeeded Keaton Jennings after a difficult start to the season that also cost Dale Benkenstein his job as head coach.

Lancashire are currently second from bottom in Division Two, having drawn five and lost two of their seven games, but they have enjoyed a successful start to the Blast, winning four of six to sit third in the North Group. Anderson has played his part, returning to the format after more than a decade and taking ten wickets in four matches.

The Blast will break after Friday's fixtures for two rounds of the Championship, with Lancashire facing Kent at home before a trip to play Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

Harris will miss both games, but Lancashire will be able to call on Australian overseas signings Ashton Turner and Chris Green.

Anderson, who recently retired after playing 188 Tests, is regarded as England's greatest fast bowler.

Anderson remains England's leading wicket-taker in ODI cricket, with a tally of 269 scalps that may never be beaten.

However, he claimed just 18 in his 19 T20Is, with his last match in the format coming against South Africa at Centurion in 2009.

The 42-year-old English pace wonder, who retired from international cricket after taking 704 Test wickets and over 991 international scalps. (ANI)