Sussex confirm Brown & Wright as 2018 captains

Sussex confirm Brown & Wright as 2018 captains

 

Jason Gillespie arrived at Hove this week and one of his first orders of business as Sussex Head Coach would be appointing a new Club captain.

Sussex have confirmed the appointment of wicketkeeper Ben Brown as their new leader in both the County Championship and One-Day Cup, with previous captain Luke Wright leading the team in the T20 Blast.

Wright gave up captaincy duties midway through last season in a bid to improve his personal performances, with the batsman also suggesting that the role was impacting him off the pitch. Brown stepped up, leading the team for most of the remaining red-ball games. Overseas player Ross Taylor (who will ply his trade at Nottinghamshire in 2018) skippered the side for the T20 Blast campaign.

“Everyone that knows me knows how passionate and proud I am to be a Sussex player, so to become club captain today is a special day for me and my family,” Brown told the club’s website.

Born in Crawley, the 29-year-old has been with the club for nearly 20 years and the captaincy is deserved recognition for several years of consistency with both the gloves and with the bat.

The pugnacious Brown averages nearly 40 in first-class cricket, excelling particularly when counter-attacking or batting with the tail in a similar manner to mentor Matt Prior. A natural and athletic gloveman, he becomes Sussex’s 52nd permanent club captain.

Wright’s appointment could prove a shrewd move. There is much excitement about the potential of the Sharks in this year’s T20 Blast and in Wright they will have an experienced and knowledgeable leader.

Brown may not figure in the shortest format, with the powerful Michael Burgess perhaps offering more, and Gillespie was keen not to over-burden him anyway.

The former Australian paceman praised Wright, saying: “We’re very lucky to have someone of Luke’s calibre to take the reins in the short-form. He has vast experience of the game all over the world, something that will be of tremendous value in leading the T20 side.”

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