Paul Farbrace to leave Sussex for Lancashire director of cricket role

Paul Farbrace will leave Sussex at the end of October to become Lancashire's director of cricket, changing plans that would have kept him at Hove in a new role. Sussex confirmed his departure on Tuesday after four years at the club. The 59-year-old had been scheduled to move from head coach to a part-time director of cricket position in November.

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According to BBC Sport, Farbrace will replace Mark Chilton, who left Lancashire last month after five years in the post. His appointment follows a County Championship campaign in which Lancashire finished seventh in Division Two, their lowest placing in the club's history. Farbrace's final season in charge of Sussex brought a third-place finish in Division One, despite the team starting with a 12-point deduction.

The move follows several changes to Sussex's plans for their cricket leadership. BBC Sport reported that financial problems behind the points penalty prompted Farbrace to announce in April that he would step down as head coach at the end of the season. In July, the club confirmed he would instead remain in a part-time director's position. That arrangement will no longer go ahead.

Sussex said Farbrace had chosen to end his head-coaching tenure a year before his contract was due to expire. Matt Walker is taking over the men's first team and begins full-time work on 1 November. Walker arrives after serving as batting coach for Warwickshire during their 2026 Division One title-winning season. Sussex acting chief executive Alex Paterson said preparations with Walker for next season were already well advanced.

In its departure announcement, Sussex traced Farbrace's tenure back to December 2022. The club credited him with overseeing the 2024 Division Two title and promotion, which returned Sussex to the top division for the first time in a decade. They also reached T20 Blast Finals Day that year, before finishing third in their second season back in the Championship's top flight.

Farbrace expressed mixed feelings about leaving and thanked Sussex's players, coaches, staff, supporters and members for their backing. Chairman Ed Warner praised his coaching and leadership, saying the promotion, this season's league finish and the squad he leaves behind gave Walker a foundation to build on in 2027. Sussex wished Farbrace success as he prepares to take up the Lancashire post.