Stuart Broad has hit out at Lancashire’s “disrespectful” treatment of Sir James Anderson, who was released by his boyhood club despite taking 50 County Championship wickets at an average of 17.7 last season.

Anderson, who is 44, has not been offered a new contract at Lancashire but will now continue his career captaining and co-owning a team in the new Italia T10 League next month.

Paul Farbrace, Lancashire’s recently appointed director of cricket, told Anderson the club would not extend his contract as they seek to rebuild after finishing second from bottom in Division Two of the County Championship last season.

Broad, whose 604 Test wickets in an England shirt are second only to Anderson’s 704, is furious with how Lancashire have handled the affair.

“I thought it was not done in the right way,” Broad said on the For the Love of Cricket podcast. “I think it was disrespectful. I think you give your icons or greats of the game a better sign-off, a better send-off than that, and it shows a lack of leadership at that club, a lack of doing it in the right way.

“Yes, I get that Paul Farbrace is new, but where’s the chair [Dame Sarah Storey]? Where’s the board demanding that this is done in a better way. I don’t know how I feel about it. Feel uneasy and uncomfortable about it. I think if Jimmy Anderson wants to play another year when he’s taken 50 poles at 17, you find a way to do that.”

Anderson has invested in a professional team for the first time, becoming co-owner of the Napoli Knights who will play in the Italia T10 League. He will also captain the side in the 10-over competition, which begins on November 18 and will be played at the Roma Cricket Ground.

Anderson has expressed his sadness about how his Lancashire career ended, saying: “If it was up to me it wouldn’t have ended like this.”

A number of other counties are keen on signing Anderson. “It doesn’t surprise me that some counties have already been on the phone and seeing what his interest levels are,” Broad said. “I don’t know what his next steps are. His statement was quite interesting. There will be a lot of counties that want him. He offers a huge amount, he’s still one of the best bowlers in the country.”

Broad also criticised how Anderson’s Test exit was handled, with the quick bowler told of England’s decision in a Manchester hotel by Rob Key, the managing director, alongside Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, who were then Test head coach and captain.

“I feel for Jimmy because the Test career got ended by Rob Key and McCullum before – sort of a bit of a shock to Jimmy for sure,” Broad said. “And done in a in a pretty poor way before Jimmy was off to watch Man United-Burnley, meet for a coffee, handshake, thanks, and leaked before he could even tell people. And then this again, it just doesn’t sit that comfortably for me, and I think he deserves more. I thought it was not done in the right way.”