Dan Ibrahim: Sussex reward teenager with 'multi-year' deal

Dan Ibrahim playing for Sussex during this summer's Royal London Cup

Sussex have rewarded teenager Dan Ibrahim with a "multi-year" contract.

The 17-year-old all-rounder has impressed on rookie terms this year to earn his first professional deal.

Ibrahim has been with the county since the age of 10, and played in all of Sussex Sharks' Royal London One-Day Cup matches this summer.

In June, he became the youngest player in County Championship history to score a half century when he hit 55 against Yorkshire on his debut, aged 16.

Sussex head coach Ian Salisbury told the club website: "We want to sign cricketers that can play in all three formats and Dan is one of those.

"Add in the fact he is a genuine all-rounder and that is absolutely priceless to any team.

"He's one of a number of young guys we have like that, and I am hugely excited about where they could take Sussex in four or five years' time."

Sussex have not disclosed the length of Ibrahim's contract.

Van Zyl departs

The county have also announced that overseas player Stiaan van Zyl, 33, has departed after four seasons in which he scored 2,613 runs including six centuries and 11 fifties.

Sussex performance director Keith Greenfield said: "Stiaan has not had the season he and we had hoped for, and the Covid-19 pandemic and his knee injury has made the last couple of years very tricky.

"Despite that, he has always given his best and is a top man who has been great to have around over the last five years. We wish him well for his future back in South Africa."

The former South Africa international played three seasons as Kolpak player after joining for the 2017 campaign.

He was unable to join up with Sussex in 2020 and became a designated overseas player for the 2021 season, but averaged only 24.82 in the Championship and did not play white ball cricket.