Northants part company with head coach Sadler

John Sadler is a former Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire player

Northamptonshire have parted company with head coach John Sadler after three years in the role.

The decision was announced the day after the Steelbacks lost to Somerset by 17 runs in the T20 Blast quarter-finals.

It was their final chance of silverware, having failed to reach the knockout stage of the One-Day Cup and they have yet to win a County Championship game this season, with eight draws and three defeats.

"Throughout his tenure at Wantage Road, John has led the club with professionalism, dedication and a strong work ethic," the club said.

Assistant coaches Rory Kleinveldt (bowling), Greg Smith (batting) and Graeme White (spin bowling, fielding and 2nd XI) will take charge of the team for the remaining weeks of the season.

Sadler took on the head coach role having worked alongside predecessor David Ripley, who was in charge for nine years.

The team finished sixth in County Championship Division One in 2022, but were relegated last summer and have not won a limited-overs trophy since 2016.

Analysis - 'Role now a poisoned chalice'

By Andrew Radd, BBC Radio Northampton commentator

The role of head coach at Wantage Road has become something of a poisoned chalice.

In the past 25 years the likes of John Emburey, Bob Carter, Kepler Wessels and the late David Capel have been and gone, with only David Ripley - who switched to a different role at the club in 2021 - moving on at a time of his own choosing.

Although John Sadler oversaw Northamptonshire's first relegation-avoiding campaign in Division One of the County Championship in 2022, results since then have seen him bear the brunt of supporters' ire.

Rory Kleinveldt - a Northamptonshire stalwart in the Ripley era and current bowling coach - is likely to be a strong candidate for the top job before the 2025 campaign.