Tom Westley steps down as Essex captain after seven seasons

Tom Westley has stepped down as Essex captain after seven seasons in charge. Essex finished eighth in Division One of the County Championship, one spot above the relegation places pending Leicestershire's appeal against a 27-point deduction. Westley, Essex's longest-serving player, said his biggest value is scoring runs and contributing to victories, something he felt he had not achieved in 2026.

Westley succeeded Ryan ten Doeschate as captain in January 2020 when Essex were reigning champions. Under his leadership, Essex won the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 and posted three consecutive top-four finishes from 2022 to 2024. No successor has been named and Essex will begin the process of identifying their next captain.

Essex's top-flight status rests on the outcome of Leicestershire's appeal. If the appeal succeeds and Leicestershire regain their 27 points, they would leapfrog Essex in the table and send them down to Division Two.