Durham head coach Campbell signs new two-year deal

Ryan Campbell is in his third season as head coach of Durham

Durham head coach Ryan Campbell has signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the county until the end of the 2027 season.

Australian Campbell, 53, is currently in his third season in the north east after previously being head coach of the Netherlands.

Under his stewardship, Durham won the County Championship Division Two title in 2023 and finished fifth in their first season back in Division One last year.

They have also reached the last eight of the T20 Blast in successive seasons for the first time since 2009, and host Hampshire Hawks in the quarter-finals later on Friday (18:30 BST).

"The impact Ryan has made since joining us has been clear for everyone to see, and this extension is thoroughly deserved," Durham's director of cricket Marcus North told the club website.

Former wicketkeeper-batter Campbell, who played two One-Day Internationals for Australia in his own career, said he has felt a parallel between his time at Durham and back home in Western Australia.

"When I came to the club, we had a lot of work to do and we've achieved some good stuff but I think there's so much more to do," he said.

"The community, the feeling you get that it's us versus them, that is all so much like home in Perth. My kids and wife love it here and they're big factors on any decision I make.

"I've got two more years to continue to improve this club and hopefully I'm still here after that. This is home now, and I could see myself being here for a long time."

Durham sit ninth in the Division One table with three games to go but Campbell is confident they will stay up.

"The County Championship hasn't gone as well as we'd hoped this year but we are going to fight really hard in September," he added.

"We're playing against three teams that are around us. I'm really excited for the last month and I have no doubt we can not only survive but win all three games."

You can listen to commentary of Durham v Hampshire Hawks in the T20 Blast quarter-final on Friday on BBC Sports Extra 3 (18:30 BST) or follow live text coverage on the BBC Sport website.