County ins and outs
- Published
With the 2025 county season fast approaching, stay up to date with the latest player signings and speculation.
Key to abbreviations: REL = released; RET = retired; YTH = from youth teams; UKP = born overseas, but has UK passport.
Counties have been permitted to field two overseas players in all competitions since 2021.
Players who moved counties or retired during the 2024 season are included on the 2024 list. A list of players who were unavailable for the One-Day Cup as they had been selected for The Hundred can be found here. Not included are players signed on short-term arrangements purely for non-competitive friendly matches.
Most recent confirmed playing moves
Derbyshire
Overseas players: Caleb Jewell (Australia), Blair Tickner (New Zealand), Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar (Afghanistan, for T20)
In: Martin Andersson (Middlesex), Jack Morley, external (Lancashire)
Out: Sam Conners (Durham)
Other news: Head of cricket Mickey Arthur has taken on an additional role as director of cricket at Hundred franchise Northern Superchargers. David Lloyd has stepped down as captain and has been replaced by former skipper Wayne Madsen in the Championship.
Durham
Overseas players: David Bedingham (South Africa), Brendan Doggett (Australia, until 26 May), Zak Foulkes (New Zealand, for T20 Blast group stage)
In: Emilio Gay (Northamptonshire), Sam Conners (Derbyshire), Will Rhodes (Warwickshire), Zak Foulkes (Warwickshire)
Out: Michael Jones (Lancashire), Jonathan Bushnell (REL), Brandon Glover (REL), Oliver Gibson (REL), Ben Dwarshuis (Worcestershire), Ashton Turner (Lancashire)
Possible signings: The Daily Mail reports, external that Durham are interested in a potential return for Australia seamer Boland, who played as an overseas player in 2024.
Other news: Scott Borthwick has stepped down as club captain and taken up a role as player-coach.
Essex
Overseas players: Simon Harmer (South Africa)
In: none
Out: Ben Allison (Worcestershire), Aaron Beard, external (RET), Feroze Khushi (REL), Daniel Sams (Nottinghamshire)
Other news: Chief executive John Stephenson left at the end of the 2024 season to take up a similar position with Western Australia. Director of cricket Anthony McGrath departed to become head coach of Yorkshire and has been replaced by Chris Silverwood, who led the side from 2016-18. Bowling coach Mick Lewis has joined McGrath at Headingley.
Adam Rossington has signed a new deal for T20 cricket only, while Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur has withdrawn from a deal to play as an overseas player in April and May after taking a deal with Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League.
Glamorgan
Overseas players: Colin Ingram (South Africa), Asitha Fernando (Sri Lanka, until end of May)
In: Ned Leonard (Somerset), Callum Nicholls (YTH), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset, loan for April)
Out: Harry Podmore (RET), Prem Sisodya (RET)
Others news: Glamorgan sacked head coach Grant Bradburn in December following a misconduct charge. He has been replaced on an interim basis by England Lions coach Richard Dawson, who will lead the side this season in the Championship and T20 Blast, with a One-Day Cup coach to be appointed. Mark O'Leary will be assistant coach, while former England coach Matthew Mott returns to the club in a part-time basis to take charge of coach development.
Gloucestershire
Overseas players: Cameron Bancroft (Australia), Cameron Green (Australia, April-May)
In: none
Out: Zafar Gohar (Middlesex)
Other news: Graeme van Buuren has stepped down as Championship captain and has been replaced by Cameron Bancroft.
Hampshire
Overseas players: Kyle Abbott (South Africa), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (South Africa, for T20), Jack Edwards (Australia, April-May), Dewald Brevis (South Africa, primarily for T20)
In: Sonny Baker (Somerset), Danny Briggs, external (Warwickshire, loan for Global Super League in Nov/Dec 2024), Mark Stoneman (Middlesex, for Championship)
Out: Mohammad Abbas (Nottinghamshire)
Possible signings: The Daily Mail reports, external that Hampshire are interested in New Zealand seamer Tim Southee.
Other news: James Vince has stepped down as County Championship captain and will only play T20 cricket for Hampshire next season. Ben Brown has taken over as red ball skipper.
Kent
Overseas players: Wes Agar (Australia, from end of May), Tom Rogers (Australia, for T20), Kashif Ali (Pakistan, until 26 May), Keith Dudgeon (South Africa, until 26 May)
In: Chris Benjamin (Warwickshire)
Out: Arafat Bhuiyan, external (REL), Hamidullah Qadri, external (REL)
Other news: Head coach Matt Walker stepped down at the end of the 2024 season, subsequently becoming batting coach at Warwickshire, and has been replaced by Adam Hollioake.
Lancashire
Overseas players: Chris Green (Australia), Anderson Phillip (West Indies, until the end of July), Marcus Harris (Australia, for Championship and One-Day Cup), Ashton Turner (Australia, for T20, 29 May-4 July)
In: Michael Jones (Durham), Marcus Harris (Leicestershire), Ashton Turner (Durham)
Out: Steven Croft (RET), George Lavelle, external (REL), Jack Morley, external (Derbyshire)
Leicestershire
Overseas players: Peter Handscomb, external (Australia), Logan van Beek (Netherlands, for County Championship and T20), Shan Masood (Pakistan, from 30 May)
In: Logan van Beek (Worcestershire), Ben Green (Somerset, loan until 26 May), Shan Masood (Yorkshire)
Out: Sam Evans, external (REL), Marcus Harris (Lancashire)
Other news: Lewis Hill has stepped down as captain for the Championship and One-Day Cup and will be replaced by Handscomb, who led the side in the T20 Blast last season but will hand over that side to Louis Kimber.
Middlesex
Overseas players: Kane Williamson (New Zealand, for at least 10 T20 matches and five Championship games), Josh Little (Ireland, primarily for T20), Dane Paterson (South Africa, until 26 May)
In: Ben Geddes (Surrey), Aaryan Sawant, external (YTH), Naavya Sharma, external (YTH), Sebastian Morgan, external (YTH), Zafar Gohar (Gloucestershire, as non-overseas player), Dane Paterson (Nottinghamshire)
Out: Ethan Bamber (Warwickshire), Martin Andersson (Derbyshire), Mark Stoneman (Hampshire), Robbie White (RET), Thilan Walallawita, external (REL)
Other news: Former England spinner Ian Salisbury has joined as a full-time coach, external having worked as a consultant with the club since 2023.
Northamptonshire
Overseas players: Matt Breetzke, external (South Africa, for first eight Championship games and first half of T20 group stage), Ashton Agar (Australia, for T20), Yuzvendra Chahal (India, from 22 June for Championship and One-Day Cup), Harry Conway (Australia, 2-26 May)
In: Dom Leech (Yorkshire), Arush Buchake, external (YTH), Aadi Sharma, external (YTH), Liam Guthrie (UKP)
Out: Emilio Gay (Durham), George Gowler, external (REL), Alex Russell, external (REL), George Weldon, external (REL), Jack White (Yorkshire)
Other news: Darren Lehmann has become head coach, succeeding John Sadler who left in September 2024.
Nottinghamshire
Overseas players: Kyle Verreynne (South Africa, for Championship), Fergus O'Neill (Australia, until 28 April), Daniel Sams (Australia, for T20), Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan, 9-26 May and 8-27 September), Moises Henriques (Australia, for T20)
In: Travis Holland, external (YTH), Sam Seecharan, external (YTH), Tom Giles, external (YTH), Conor McKerr (Surrey), Daniel Sams (Essex), Mohammad Abbas (Hampshire)
Out: Luke Fletcher (REL), Tom Loten, external (RET), Toby Pettman, external (RET), Fateh Singh (Worcestershire), Jacob Duffy (Worcestershire), Alex Hales (REL), Dane Paterson (Middlesex)
Other news: Assistant coach Paul Franks will lead the side in the One-Day Cup.
Somerset
Overseas players: Riley Meredith (Australia, for T20 and possibly other formats), Matt Henry (New Zealand, 17 April-25 June), Migael Pretorius (South Africa)
In: none
Out: Sonny Baker (Hampshire), Ned Leonard (Glamorgan), George Thomas, external (Sussex), Roelof van der Merwe (REL), Ben Green (Leicestershire, loan until 26 May), Shoaib Bashir (Glamorgan, loan for April)
Other news: Will Smeed has switched his white-ball deal to an all-format contract.
Surrey
Overseas players: Nathan Smith (New Zealand), Mitchell Santner (New Zealand, for T20, 30 May-20 June and knockout stages), Kemar Roach (West Indies, for April)
In: Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Nathan Smith (Worcestershire)
Out: Ben Geddes (Middlesex), Conor McKerr (Nottinghamshire), Amar Virdi (REL)
Other news: Director of cricket Alec Stewart stepped down at the end of the 2024 season and has a part-time role as high performance cricket advisor. Sam Curran has replaced Chris Jordan as T20 captain.
Sussex
Overseas players: Daniel Hughes (Australia), Jayden Seales (West Indies, first block of County Championship games), Jaydev Unadkat (India, from 8 September), Gurinder Sandhu (Australia, for June and July)
In: Nantes Oosthuizen, external (YTH), George Thomas, external (Somerset), Troy Henry, external
Out: none
Other news: Former head coach Mark Robinson, who recently left Warwickshire, has joined the Sussex coaching staff on a deal for at least April and May.
Warwickshire
Overseas players: Tom Latham (New Zealand), Beau Webster (Australia, May-July), Hasan Ali (Pakistan, from 29 May), Vishwa Fernando (Sri Lanka, until 21 April)
In: Ethan Bamber (Middlesex)
Out: Will Rhodes (Durham), Chris Benjamin (Kent), Michael Burgess (RET), Danny Briggs, external (Hampshire, loan for Global Super League in Nov/Dec 2024), Amir Khan, external (REL), Zak Foulkes (Durham)
Future departures: All-rounder Moeen Ali will retire at the end of the season.
Other news: Head coach Mark Robinson has been replaced by his assistant Ian Westwood, while departing performance director Gavin Larsen has been succeeded by James Thomas from Manchester City.
Batting coach Tony Frost has become head of cricket operations and Simon Kerrigan will take charge of the second XI, with ex-Kent head coach Matt Walker becoming batting coach.
Worcestershire
Overseas players: Jacob Duffy (New Zealand, 11 April-30 June), Ben Dwarshuis (Australia, for T20)
In: Ben Allison (Essex), Fateh Singh (Nottinghamshire), Jacob Duffy (Nottinghamshire), Ben Dwarshuis (Durham)
Out: Joe Leach (RET), Josh Cobb (REL), Olly Cox (REL), Nathan Smith (Surrey), Logan van Beek (Leicestershire)
Yorkshire
Overseas players: Will Sutherland (Australia, 30 May-18 July), Will O'Rourke (New Zealand, for T20, 30 May-20 June), Jordan Buckingham (Australia, 2-26 May), Ben Sears (New Zealand, from 11 April)
In: Alex Wade, external (YTH), Jawad Akhtar, external (YTH), Jack White (Northamptonshire)
Out: Matthew Fisher (Surrey), Dom Leech (Northamptonshire), Mickey Edwards (RET), Shan Masood (Leicestershire)
Other news: First-team coach Ottis Gibson left at the end of the 2024 season, and has been replaced by Essex director of cricket Anthony McGrath. with ex-Northants coach John Sadler joining as batting coach and Mick Lewis leaving Essex to become bowling coach. Former all-rounder Gavin Hamilton, external has rejoined as general manager. Jonny Bairstow replaces the departed Masood as County Championship captain, with Dawid Malan as T20 skipper.
