Lancashire: Keaton Jennings to replace Dane Vilas as skipper

Keaton Jennings (left) captained Lancashire in the 50-over Royal London Cup in 2022 in which they reached the final

Keaton Jennings will take over from Dane Vilas as Lancashire captain across all three formats for the 2023 season.

Vilas, 37, is stepping down after four years in the job, during which he led the Red Rose county to the Second Division title in 2019.

Jennings captained the side to the final of the One-Day Cup last season in the South Africa batter's absence.

The opener, 30, has also signed a one-year contract extension until the end of the 2025 season.

Jennings was the leading run-scorer in County Championship Division One last year with 1,233 runs at an average of 72. That included five centuries and a career-best 318 versus Somerset at Southport.

That superb form earned him a recall to England's Test squad for the tour of Pakistan, but he did not add to the 17 caps he won between 2016 and 2019.

Jennings has played 131 times for Lancashire since he joined from Durham in 2018 and will be the county's 37th permanent captain.

"Ever since joining, I have been fully aware of how proud this club is of its history and the passion which our members, supporters, players and staff all share for the Red Rose." he told the club's website.

"I am extremely proud to be leading this club into a new chapter and I hope that we are able create more history together."

Lancashire twice reached the T20 Blast Finals Day in Dane Vilas' four seasons as captain

Vilas captained Lancashire for four seasons, a role he often combined with keeping wicket, but he has now decided that the time is right for him to relinquish his duties.

He led the side to promotion in his first summer in the job, but in the last two years, Vilas saw Lancashire come up just short as they finished runners-up four times in three different competitions.

Although he will no longer be leading the team, Vilas will still be part of the squad as one of the county's overseas players for 2023.

"It has been an honour and a privilege to lead this great county for the past four seasons, but I feel that the time is now right to step back from the role and allow Keaton to build on the superb job which he started during last season's One-Day Cup," he said.

"I have always put the team's best interests first and now I am excited to continue representing the Red Rose and helping to put in performances which can allow this side to continue our challenge for silverware. I look forward to supporting Keaton, my teammates and the coaching staff however I can."