Former Sri Lanka supremo Farbrace new coach of Sussex
Cricket
Sussex have appointed former Sri Lanka supremo and England assistant Paul Farbrace as new head coach
LONDON (AFP) - Sussex have appointed former Sri Lanka supremo and England assistant Paul Farbrace as their new head coach following his departure from English county rivals Warwickshire.
Farbrace takes over from Ian Salisbury, the former England leg-spinner, who left as head coach of the south coast club in September.
The 55-year-old Farbrace was the coach of the Sri Lanka side that won the 2014 World Twenty20 (now T20 World Cup) before working as deputy to England head coach Trevor Bayliss from 2015-19.
He then became the sporting director of Birmingham-based Warwickshire, but announced his departure from Edgbaston in August following a three-year spell.
During that time the West Midlands club won the first-class County Championship in 2021 before dramatically avoiding relegation on the final day of last season.
Farbrace will now try to lift a youthful Sussex squad that includes England seamer Ollie Robinson, his stepson, and fast bowler Jofra Archer out of the lower reaches of the Second Division of the County Championship.
"Sussex have produced many fantastic players," said Farbrace in a club statement issued Friday.
"We should be very focused on developing our own players, as well as developing players to play for England at all levels, but also winning trophies for the members and the club."
Farbrace, a former county wicketkeeper, has arrived at Hove with Sussex enduring a lean spell since winning seven trophies in as many seasons from 2003-09, including three County Championships.
Sussex chief executive Rob Andrew said of Farbrace: "His all-round experience is exactly what we have been looking for when we made the decision to return to one head coach across all formats and I am confident he will enable our team to fulfil its full potential."
The former England rugby union fly-half added: "We have a very exciting few years ahead as we see the young talented players develop further in Sussex colours."
