Simon Harmer has agreed a new two-year deal with Essex – and is now favourite to take over as the county’s new captain.

The i Paper understands current incumbent Tom Westley is set to stand down as skipper at the end of the season, having been at the helm at Chelmsford since 2020.

Essex’s fortunes have taken a nosedive this season, and their final fate will remain uncertain until the result of Leicestershire’s appeal against a 27-point deduction for a poor pitch is announced next week.

A reversal of that deduction could move the Foxes back above Westley’s side, possibly relegating Essex.

The next skipper is yet to be decided but club sources suggest 37-year-old South African Harmer is favourite for the role ahead of Matt Critchley and Sam Cook.

The final decision may well depend on whether Cook is handed a central contract by England: that announcement is expected at the end of next week.

Leicestershire fans want Cox to stay

While Leicestershire wait for their appeal verdict, there are also changes afoot at Grace Road.

Sam Wood is set to leave the Foxes. The 22-year-old played his most recent match in the Metro Bank One Day Cup in early August and has struggled to cement his place in the county’s top order.

Ben Mike, who came through the Leicestershire academy system, is also expected to leave, with Gloucestershire his likely destination.

And the future of Ben Cox remains similarly uncertain, with Leicestershire supporters petitioning for the wicketkeeper-batter to remain at the county, but he has been linked with a move to Warwickshire throughout the summer.

In the other direction, Surrey’s Josh Blake will be lining up for the Foxes next season, having announced his departure from the Oval earlier this month.

Sussex wait on England deal – but at least four will leave

Further south, Sussex – the epicentre of transfer rumours in 2026 – are also waiting on the ECB’s central contract announcement.

A deal for Ollie Robinson, which looks inevitable, could free up enough cash at Hove to keep at least two, and possibly all of John Simpson, Jaydev Unadkat and Daniel Hughes. If Robinson is centrally contracted, then the cost of the England star’s salary is shouldered by the ECB.

But Harrison Ward, Brad Currie, Troy Henry and Nantes Oosthuizen all look set to be available when their contracts expire at the end of the season. Currie had previously been linked with a move to Hampshire – home to his brother, Scott – although that move now looks unlikely.

Hampshire exodus continues

There has been no shortage of ins and outs at Hampshire this season, with former England white-ball fast bowler John Turner having retired due to injury and Liam Dawson calling time on his red-ball career.

Now all-rounder Dom Kelly looks set to leave the county. He has been playing Second XI cricket for Nottinghamshire towards the end of the season, scoring a century against Somerset back in August.

And Brad Wheal, who has missed the majority of Hampshire’s County Championship relegation season with a back injury, could also have played his final match for the county.