The challenge was to see how far back we could go ... with the fewest players ... each of whom must have played with another to maintain a chain
In the case of England ten players were needed, including Anderson.
That got me thinking about Zimbabwe & Rhodesia, with international cricket for Zim or representative FC cricket for Rhodesia as qualification. 8 players take us back from the present, with Hami as a starting point, to Rhodesia's first ever FC match in 1910 (according to cricketarchive.com; other sources list a match in 1905). And 9 if you include their first ever official, albeit not FC match in 1899:
1. Hamilton Masakadza (career span 2001-2016)
2. Andy Flower (1992-2003)
3. John Traicos (1968-1993)
4. Tony Pithey (1951-1969)
5. David Lewis (1946-1964)
6. Denis Tomlinson (1928-1948)
7. Teek Arnold (1924-1928)
8. Tom Bourdillon (1910-1924)
(9. Leo Robinson 1899-1910)
The most obscure name is that of Evelyn Charles "Teek" Arnold, a wicketkeeper who only played three FC matches but was an attractive option to bridge the mid-twenties' gap between Bourdillon and Tomlinson. Does anyone have a clue what "Teek" means?
There are, of course, various ways to go back in time. One could, for example, substitute Tony Pithey for a number of other well-known players who played with both Lewis and Traicos. You are invited to add your own chain, but can you do it with fewer players?