County Cricket News / Updates - 2017 Season

Somerset have named Tom Abell as their Championship captain for 2017. Abell, who replaces Chris Rogers after the Australian's retirement, will be 23 by the time the season starts, making him one of the youngest captains on the county circuit. Jim Allenby, meanwhile, will continue to lead the club in T20 and 50-over cricket.

 

Dan Christian, who averaged 41 with an explosive strike rate of 159.51 as Notts Outlaws won nine matches in a row in last year's NatWest T20 Blast, has signed on for 2017. Christian captained Notts to Finals Day, where they lost to eventual winners Northamptonshire

 

Sussex have signed batsman Laurie Evans on a three-year contract after Warwickshire released him a year early from his deal at Edgbaston.

 

Ashley Giles has left Lancashire to rejoin Warwickshire as sport director.
Ex-England spinner Giles, 43, was previously director of cricket at Edgbaston and he will oversee both the men's and women's teams, as well as the club's academy, in his new role.

 

Daniel Vettori, the former New Zealand spinner, has joined Middlesex on a three-year contract to serve as the club's head coach for the T20 Blast.
Vettori, 37, is currently head coach of Brisbane Heat in Australia's Big Bash, and occupies the same position with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.
He will be in charge of Middlesex T20 playing strategy and will work alongside Richard Scott, the club head coach, and Richard Johnson and David Houghton, the club's two assistant coaches, to prepare the side for the Blast campaign.

 

Yorkshire have brought in Australia international batsman Peter Handscomb as their overseas signing for 2017.
The 25-year-old Victoria and Melbourne Stars player will be available to play in all three formats of the game

 

Hampshire believe they are on the verge of securing the services of Kyle Abbott on a long-term deal as a Kolpak registration, despite his recent success at international level with South Africa.
Abbott, a member of South Africa's Test team currently playing Sri Lanka in Cape Town and a key performer in the series victory over Australia, is understood to have agreed a three or four-year deal with Hampshire that will realistically end his international career.

 

South Africa pace bowler Kyle Abbott and batsman Rilee Rossouw have signed Kolpak deals with Hampshire.
Right-arm seamer Abbott, 29, returns to the county he played for as an overseas signing in 2014 on a four-year deal.
Rossouw, 27, can open or bat lower down the order and has joined Hampshire on a three-year deal.

Impressive piece of business by Hampshire

 

Middlesex captain James Franklin has signed a new contract, which will keep the former New Zealand all-rounder at Lord's until the end of 2018.

 

Sussex have confirmed the signing of South Africa allrounder David Wiese on a three-year Kolpak deal as he becomes the latest player to end his international career.

 

Australia batsman Adam Voges is to return to county champions Middlesex for a fourth spell at the club.
Voges, 37, has again been signed as an overseas player, having featured for Middlesex in three of the past four seasons, including their 2016 County Championship title-winning campaign.

 

Somerset have signed South Africa opener Dean Elgar as their overseas player for 2017.
The 29-year-old left-hander, who has previously played for Surrey, has hit six centuries in 32 Test matches and a total of 28 in first-class cricket.
His arrival is set to fill the gap in Somerset's batting line-up vacated by the retirement of former captain Chris Rogers at the end of the 2016 season.
He will be available for all formats, around his international commitments

 

Lancashire have become the latest county to raid South African cricket by signing Dane Vilas, the wicketkeeper-batsman, in a double Kolpak swoop which has also seen them shore up their batting strength by signing the veteran West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

 

Lancs new signings Jennings and Onions. Would be very unhappy if Davies and Hameed are not the opening batsmen next season. Ideal opening pair.