ENGLAND's all-time leading Test match wicket taker James Anderson is set to make his return to county cricket against Somerset next week.

Anderson, 35, has missed Lancashire's first three matches of the season - the third of which begins tomorrow - after being granted a rest following England's exhausting winter schedule, but is due to line up for the Red Rose when Somerset visit Old Trafford for a County Championship match which gets underway next Friday (May 4).

Lancashire head coach Glen Chappell said: “We know Jimmy loves playing for Lancashire, and having him back in contention will be a real boost."

The paceman, who has 531 Test wickets to his name, was one of the few England players to emerge with any credit from the series defeats against Australia and New Zealand and will no doubt be looking to hit the ground running ahead of the upcoming visits of Pakistan and India.

Early-season conditions are also likely to suit Anderson, who took 15 wickets at 24.86 in the five Championship matches he played last season.

Next week's match will be the second successive year in which Anderson has lined up against Somerset at Old Trafford - he claimed 2-54 and 1-30 in 2017 as the hosts ran out winners by 164 runs.