Hampshire have today announced that Danny Briggs has left the club in order to move to Sussex on a three-year contract. The 24-year-old had one year left on his contract, but the decision was made to give Briggs more opportunities in the longer form of the game, after appearances had become scarce towards the end of 2015 due to the emergence of other young spinners.
Briggs had progressed into the first team having come through Hampshire’s junior and Academy sides, making his first-class debut in 2009. He has impressed in the shorter form of the game, taking a club record 31 wickets in the 2010 Friends Provident t20, which Hampshire won. In all, he took 119 t20 wickets from 94 t20 matches, at an average of 19.4.
He made his England debut in 2012 against Pakistan in the UAE, taking two wickets as England secured a 4-0 ODI series whitewash, making him the youngest ever Hampshire player to represent his country.
In a statement, Briggs said “I’m really grateful that Hampshire are letting me leave early, I’d like to thank all players and coaches at the club for all their support over the years. I’m looking forward to joining Sussex and working with the players and coaching staff there. I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Giles White, Hampshire’s Director of Cricket, said “Losing Danny is tough, however this is the right decision for him and therefore he goes with our blessing. I have been lucky enough to have seen him grow into the cricketer and person that he is today and he has been a pleasure to work with throughout.
“He understands the wider picture and in some ways it was inevitable, considering his ambition to progress in all forms of the game that it would lead to him moving on. I hope the move allows him the opportunity to further his career in the longer form of the game with a good club like Sussex. Danny is an extremely popular player, the team will miss him but I have no doubt that they will all wish him well.”
