The domestic season in the UK has finished, players are off to played abroad or on a winter break. Contracts for the next season in 2017 have to be signed.

Northamptonshire batsman Ben Duckett has signed a new two-year deal with the County Championship Division Two side. Duckett, who has been named in England's winter tour squad for Bangladesh, made 1,338 first-class runs this summer at an average of 60.82. He made two double centuries, including 282 not out against Sussex in April, the highest score of 2016. Kent-born Duckett, 21, has been nominated both as PCA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has signed a new one-year contract with Surrey. The 38-year-old batsman scored 1,039 runs at an average of 49.47 in the County Championship this season.

Batsman Chesney Hughes has left Derbyshire after failing to agree terms on a new contract at the County Ground. The Anguilla-born 25-year-old joined the club in 2009 having previously played for his home island and the West Indies Under-19s side. Hughes made his first-class debut against Middlesex in 2010 and scored 6,657 runs across all formats.

Sussex seamer Lewis Hatchett has been forced to retire on medical advice because of injury, at the age of 26.

Fast-bowler Ollie Freckingham was named Leicestershire Players' Player of the Year on Friday then among three players released by the club a day later. Freckingham, 27, took 65 wickets in 23 first-class games for the county and was their leading wicket-taker in 2013. He has struggled with injury and played just two One-Day Cup games in 2016. The club's longest serving player, spinner Jigar Naik, 32, is also leaving, as is 22-year-old wicketkeeper Michael Burgess.

Fast bowler David Griffiths has left Kent at the end of his contract at the St Lawrence Ground.
The 31-year-old right-armer joined from Hampshire ahead of the 2014 campaign, but missed most of the 2015 season with triceps and back injuries.
Griffiths was Kent's leading wicket-taker in the T20 Blast this season, with 13 at an average of 33.61.
He also played three times in the One-Day Cup, but did not feature in the County Championship.
Griffiths took career-best innings figures of 6-63 against Gloucestershire in September 2014.
Thee time has come for me to now leave Kent to seek a new opportunity," he said.

Batsman Jaik Mickleburgh is to leave promoted Essex when his contract expires at the end of September. The 26-year-old scored 4,978 runs in 101 first-class matches for the county and also played 38 limited-overs games.

England Test captain Alastair Cook has signed a one-year contract extension with Essex, keeping him with the Division Two champions until the end of the 2018 season.

Worcestershire's Daryl Mitchell has been relieved of his position as county captain after six years in the role. He is replaced as skipper by former Shropshire all-rounder Joe Leach, 25, who steps up from vice-captain.

Northamptonshire have signed seam bowler Nathan Buck on a three-year deal after he agreed an early release from his contract with Lancashire.

Former England Test player Paul Collingwood has been given a testimonial year by Durham in 2017, his 23rd season with the county. Collingwood, 40, has played 280 first-class games, including 202 for Durham. He led Durham to the 2013 title, was part of the One-Day Cup winning side of 2014, and also captained England to World T20 success in 2010. "To be recognised by my home county supporters for service over the years is an honour," Collingwood said. "I have enjoyed some amazing moments with the club."

Former England batsman Kim Barnett has been named Derbyshire director of cricket in the latest coaching restructure at the Division Two club. The 56-year-old ex-Derbyshire skipper leaves his post as club president to take the newly created job.

Ireland internationals Stuart Poynter and Barry McCarthy have both signed new two-year deals with Durham. Wicketkeeper Poynter, 25, joined from Warwickshire in 2014 after starting his career at Middlesex and made his first-class debut for the county this summer.

Warwickshire have released fast bowler Recordo Gordon after five years' service to the Birmingham-based club. Jamaica-born Gordon, 24, part of the Bears teams that won the T20 Blast in 2014 and One-Day Cup this season, has not had his contract renewed after reaching the end of his current deal. He made only five County Championship appearances following his first-class debut in April 2013. But he was a regular one-day player, appearing most often in T20 cricket.

Northamptonshire wicketkeeper David Murphy has extended his contract with the county for the 2017 season. The 27-year-old took 33 catches in this summer's County Championship and also contributed 355 runs.

Derbyshire all-rounder Alex Hughes has signed a new contract until the end of the 2018 season.

Gloucestershire have signed Durham wicketkeeper-batsman Phil Mustard on a two-year deal following a loan spell.

Gloucestershire all-rounder Benny Howell has signed a three-year contract extension to stay with the Championship Division Two county until 2019.

Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove says the county's hopes of staging an Ashes Test match can only be boosted by Durham losing their Test ground status.

Opener Ben Slater has become the second Derbyshire player in two days to commit to a new two-year contract.

The first day-night Test to be played in England will take place against West Indies at Edgbaston in August 2017. Play will start at 14:00 BST on 17-21 August and continue until 21:00, with an additional 30 minutes possible at the end of each day's play. Teams will wear traditional white clothing but use a pink Dukes ball.

Somerset director of cricket Matt Maynard has signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at the county until the end of the 2019 season.

England one-day opener Jason Roy has signed a new three-year contract with Surrey, which will keep him at The Oval until the end of the 2019 season. The 26-year-old batsman's deal will run alongside his 12-month white-ball central contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Derbyshire have signed Luis Reece from Lancashire on a two-year contract. The all-rounder, 26, spent four years at Lancashire, making 30 appearances across all three formats and scoring 1,235 runs at an average of 31.

Surrey captain Gareth Batty and batsman Arun Harinath have signed new two-year deals, which will keep the pair at The Oval until the end of the 2018 season.

Sussex batsman Luke Wells has signed a new two-year contract, which will keep him at the club until the end of the 2018 campaign.

Glamorgan Cricket Club will be "really well-placed" to host a city-based team in a new T20 competition, according to chief executive Hugh Morris. He says the tournament is needed for financial and participation reasons. "The idea of using a new city-based team to help drive participation is really strong, and the potential to increase revenue into the club is very attractive," said Morris. The competition could start in 2018 if broadcast deals are agreed.

Academy product fast bowler Abidine Sakande has signed a two-year professional contract with Sussex. Sakande, 22, came through the age groups at Hove, making his first-class debut with Oxford University in 2014.

Somerset batsman Adam Hose has signed a one-year contract extension with the county until the end of 2017. The 23-year-old made his first-class debut against Pakistan in July, but scored only 10 and eight in his two innings against the tourists. He also played four One-Day Cup games and one T20 Blast fixture this summer. "My goals for 2017 are to earn a regular spot within the top order and consistently contribute towards winning games," he told Somerset's website.

Lancashire pair Luke Procter and Matthew Parkinson have both signed new two-year contracts. All-rounder Procter, 28, hit 822 runs and two centuries batting at three during 2016 and played in every County Championship game. Spin bowler Parkinson, 19, made his Red Rose debut in June against Warwickshire where he took a first innings' 5-49. "I couldn't be happier to sign a new deal. I've really enjoyed my first full season as a professional," he said.

Lancashire batsman Rob Jones has signed his first professional contract with the club. The 20-year-old opener made his debut for the Red Rose in August and hit his maiden century later that month at Old Trafford against Middlesex. "It's a dream come true for me to play for Lancashire and I couldn't be happier," he said. Jones will spend this winter in Australia playing grade cricket for South Perth.

The planned expansion of the Women's Super League to include a 50-over event will not take place in 2017. The inaugural 20-over tournament last summer, won by Southern Vipers, was widely seen as a success. After a consultation with the six teams involved, the England and Wales Cricket Board has decided to focus resources on developing the T20 version. In addition, the 2017 World Cup in England hinders the availability of overseas players.

Sussex batsman Phil Salt has signed a new one-year contract with the club. The 20-year-old made his first-class debut against the touring Pakistan side in July and featured in all three formats for the Hove side this year. Wales-born Salt, who came through Sussex's academy, will remain at the club until the end of the 2017 season. "With a good winter under his belt, he could develop into a dynamic match-winner for Sussex," head coach Mark Davis said.

Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens has signed a new one-year contract, which will keep him at the St Lawrence Ground until the end of the 2017 season. The 40-year-old scored 782 runs in the County Championship in 2016 and also took 37 wickets at an average of 30.56. Stevens has played more than 500 games for Kent since his debut in 2005. "Darren has given so much to Kent that all along we have wanted him to remain with us," Kent chairman of cricket Graham Johnson said.

Former West Indies captain Jimmy Adams has left his role as head coach of Kent after five seasons. The 48-year-old, who played 54 Tests and 127 one-day internationals, joined the club before the start of the 2012 campaign. Kent finished second in Division Two of the County Championship this year, missing out on promotion. "I've enjoyed my time at Kent which has been a great learning experience for me," he said.

Netherlands bowler Paul van Meekeren has been rewarded with a two-year deal at Somerset following an initial three-month contract with the county.

Lancashire have re-signed Australia all-rounder James Faulkner for the T20 Blast competition in 2017. The 26-year-old took 25 wickets and scored more than 300 runs to help the Red Rose club lift the trophy in 2015. In August, Faulkner became only the sixth Australian to take a hat-trick in a one-day international when he achieved the feat against Sri Lanka.

Middlesex batsman Nick Gubbins has signed a new contract with the county champions, which will keep him at Lord's until the end of 2019. The 22-year-old hit 1,409 first-class runs at an average of 61.26 as the north London side won the Championship title for the first time in 23 years.

A proposed eight-team Twenty20 competition in English cricket may not start until 2020. It had been suggested the new format, which will take place in addition to the 18-team T20 Blast, could start in 2018 if it was given the go-ahead. But England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) bosses have told county members' forums this week that 2020 is now their targeted start date.

Kent chief executive Jamie Clifford says they "will not struggle" to find a new head coach to replace Jimmy Adams. Former West Indies captain Adams, 48, left the Canterbury club this week after spending five years in charge.

Durham have agreed a financial rescue package with Durham County Council over the debts that led to their relegation this season. The council's loans of £3.74m to the club have been converted into shares.
Durham were relegated from County Championship Division One by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on 3 October, amid debts of £7.5m.

Gloucestershire seam bowler Liam Norwell has signed a new contract extension with the county until the end of the 2018 season. The 24-year-old took 39 wickets in Division Two of the Championship 2016. Since making his debut in 2011, he has played in 55 first-class matches, and also taken 30 limited-overs wickets. "It's a great changing room to be a part of," he told Gloucestershire's website. "As a group of players, we're on the verge of something special."

Former India and New Zealand head coach John Wright has returned to Derbyshire as a specialist coach for the 2017 T20 Blast campaign. The 62-year-old, who scored almost 15,000 runs for Derbyshire between 1977 and 1988, will rejoin the team in June, a month before the T20 Blast begins. Director of cricket Kim Barnett said: "We could not have anybody with higher pedigree than John for this new role. "He won the IPL with the Mumbai Indians and has been an international coach."

Leicestershire have signed former South Africa Under-19 batsman Colin Ackermann on a two-year contract. The 25-year-old, who joins from Warriors in his homeland for the start of the 2017 season, has scored 3,917 first-class runs at an average of 39.17, including seven centuries. Head coach Pierre de Bruyn said: "Colin is a quality top-order batsman who can also bowl some useful off-spin. "He will offer us a good option in all three formats of the game."

Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft will rejoin Gloucestershire for the whole 2017 campaign to play in all three formats of the game. The 23-year-old, who also keeps wicket, spent two months in Bristol last season, scoring 192 Championship runs. He then returned home, representing Australia A in one day and first-class matches, and Western Australia in the one-day Matador Cup competition.

Essex have signed South Africa all-rounder Simon Harmer on a Kolpak deal for the 2017 season. The 27-year-old off-break bowler has made five Test appearances for South Africa and is available to play in all formats for newly-promoted Essex.

Lancashire have signed South Africa international all-rounder Ryan McLaren as their overseas player for 2017. The 33-year-old former Kent man took 32 wickets and made 832 runs for Hampshire last season. He has played two Tests, 12 T20s and 54 one-day internationals for his country, but has not played for them since 2014.

South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir will join Derbyshire as an overseas player for all formats from June 2017.

Kent have signed Will Gidman from Nottinghamshire following a successful loan spell at Canterbury last season.

Gloucestershire seamer Craig Miles has signed a new contract which will keep him with the County Championship Division Two side until 2019.

Gloucestershire seamer David Payne has extended his contract with the county until 2019. The 25-year-old, whose existing deal was due to expire at the end of next season, took 43 wickets in County Championship Division Two in 2016.

Derbyshire have signed Sri Lanka all-rounder Jeevan Mendis for the first half of next summer. The 33-year-old will fill the county's overseas player role from April until the arrival of South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir in June.

England fast bowler Mark Wood has signed a new three-year contract with Durham, despite their demotion to County Championship Division Two.

Hampshire and England all-rounder Liam Dawson has extended his contract with the county until the end of 2019.

Nottinghamshire assistant coach Wayne Noon is to leave after 22 years as a player and coach at Trent Bridge.

Essex chairman John Faragher is concerned a new T20 competition could eventually lead to an eight-team County Championship. Counties voted in favour of a new eight-team city-based T20 competition to run alongside the current T20 Blast. But Faragher said some counties have changed views since September's vote.

Former England all-rounder Sir Ian Botham is set to become chairman of Durham. Botham played for the county in their inaugural first-class season in 1992 and ended his career there the following year.

Hampshire batsman Tom Alsop and wicketkeeper Lewis McManus have signed new three-year contracts. Alsop, 20, consolidated a place at the top of the county's batting order in 2016, scoring his maiden County Championship century in September. McManus, 22, became Hampshire's first-choice keeper during the 2016 season, scoring more than 400 runs in Division One and claiming 26 dismissals.

Surrey fast bowler Tom Curran has signed a new three-year contract with the club, which will keep him at The Oval until the end of the 2019 season. The 21-year-old right-armer took 33 wickets at an average of 45.27 in 15 Championship appearances last season.

Sussex have released all-rounder Fynn Hudson-Prentice. The 20-year-old academy product made his debut for the Hove-based side in the One-Day Cup in 2014.

Middlesex batsman Stevie Eskinazi has signed a new contract, which will keep him at Lord's until the end of 2019. The 22-year-old right-hander scored 609 Championship runs at an average of 43.50 as Middlesex won the Division One title for the first time since 1993.

Nottinghamshire seamer Harry Gurney has signed a new contract to stay with the County Championship Division Two club until the end of the 2019 season.

Former England all-rounder Craig White has been named head coach of Hampshire. The 46-year-old has signed a two-year contract and steps up to the post vacated by Dale Benkenstein midway through last season at the Ageas Bowl.

Batsman Will Tavare and all-rounder Graeme van Buuren have extended their contracts with Gloucestershire. Bristolian Tavare 26, has signed until the end of the 2019 season, while South African Van Buuren, also 26, has signed until the end of the 2018 campaign.

Harry Gurney says he feels optimistic about the future despite suffering relegation with Nottinghamshire. The 30-year-old signed a new three-year contract with Notts on Monday. Gurney told BBC Radio Nottingham: "Notts are a very special club with a lot of history. In my five years here, my career has been on an upward trend.

Ireland seamer Tim Murtagh has extended his contract with county champions Middlesex, tying him to Lord's until at least 2018.

Essex have signed Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir as an overseas player for part of the 2017 season. Amir, 24, has played 20 Tests for Pakistan, including four against England this summer, having returned from a spot-fixing ban in 2015.

Essex have signed Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir as an overseas player for part of the 2017 season.

Former West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards will return to play county cricket for Hampshire in 2017. Hampshire confirmed a one-year deal for the 34-year-old, after he initially announced it on his Instagram page.

Essex chief executive Derek Bowden says Mohammad Amir must be allowed to get on with his career, with the Pakistan bowler set to join the club in 2017.

Sussex head coach Mark Davis says out-of-contract Ireland batsman Ed Joyce is "undecided" on his future at Hove. The 38-year-old, who scored 1,026 Championship runs at an average of 64.12 for the side last season, had surgery on his injured knee last week. "I'm sure in the next couple of weeks, or possibly a month or so, we will know what the form is there," Davis told BBC Sussex. "He has moved home to Dublin and hasn't quite made that decision yet."

Hampshire bowlers Brad Wheal and Mason Crane have signed three-year contract extensions with the county. Right-arm seamer Wheal, 20, and leg-spinner Crane, 19, will both stay at the Ageas Bowl until the end of 2019. Wheal took 20 County Championship wickets last season, with Crane claiming 31 in Division One.

Ryan ten Doeschate will captain Essex in all formats in 2017 after Ravi Bopara decided to stand down as limited-overs skipper to focus on his game. England batsman Bopara, 31, led the club to the quarter-finals of the T20 Blast and the One-Day Cup this year. "Ravi did an excellent job," Ten Doeschate told the club website. "He has decided he would prefer to concentrate on his individual game next year and make valuable contributions throughout the season."

Mansfield-born Paul Franks has been appointed as Nottinghamshire's new assistant head coach. The 37-year-old, who retired from the first-class game in 2015, steps up from a role with the second XI and academy. Director of cricket Mick Newell said: "Paul has been taking steps into coaching for a number of years.

Surrey and England batsman Jason Roy has agreed a short-term deal to play for Sydney Sixers in the forthcoming Big Bash tournament in Australia.

Yorkshire are set to appoint captain Andrew Gale as first-team coach. Gale, 32, will succeed Jason Gillespie, who left at the end of the season after leading Yorkshire to County Championship titles in 2014 and 2015.

Warwickshire are keen on bringing Lancashire director of cricket Ashley Giles back to Edgbaston. Lancashire say Giles, Warwickshire director of cricket from 2007 to 2012, is under contract until 2018.

Australia batsman George Bailey has re-signed for former club Hampshire on a two-year deal. The 34-year-old right-hander played for the club in 2013 and has also featured for Middlesex and Sussex.

Lancashire have signed Australia Under-19 wicketkeeper Brooke Guest on a summer contract for the 2017 season.

Sussex have appointed former Rugby Football Union director and England fly-half Rob Andrew as chief executive. The 53-year-old, who resigned as the RFU's director of professional rugby in April, succeeds Zac Toumazi. He will begin his new role at Hove in January 2017.

Warwickshire leg-spinner Josh Poysden and wicketkeeper Alex Mellor have signed contract extensions. Poysden and Mellor, both 25, have committed to the Bears until at least the end of the 2018 season after five Championship games each this summer.

The 2017 County Championship will feature a full round of day-night matches for the first time. England players are expected to be made available for the nine floodlit games, starting on 26 June. The competition starts on 7 April, with Middlesex beginning their defence of the title a week later with an away game against Hampshire. The 2017 One-Day Cup will begin on 27 April, with the T20 Blast getting under way on 7 July.

Gloucestershire assistant head coach Ian Harvey has extended his contract with the county until the end of 2019. The 44-year-old former Australia all-rounder, who joined Gloucestershire as a player in 1999, has been on their coaching staff since 2015.

Worcestershire have re-signed New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner for the 2017 T20 Blast competition. Santner, 24, broke his finger in only his second game for the county in 2016. "There is some unfinished business with Mitch," director of cricket Steve Rhodes told Worcestershire's website.

Somerset all-rounder Peter Trego has signed a new extension to his contract to keep him with the county until the end of the 2018 season. The 35-year-old surpassed 1,000 Championship runs for the first time in his career last season, helping Somerset finish second to Middlesex.

Essex have signed New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner for the first half of the 2017 County Championship season and One-Day Cup. The 30-year-old has played 27 Tests for the Black Caps and had a spell with Lancashire this summer. He took 32 Championship wickets for the Red Rose, including 6-66 on his debut against Nottinghamshire. He will be replaced by Pakistan's Mohammad Amir at newly-promoted Essex midway through next summer.

Derbyshire have signed South Africa international fast bowler Hardus Viljoen on a three-year deal. Viljoen took the wicket of England captain Alastair Cook with his first ball in Test cricket in January, his only international appearance to date. The 27-year-old, who played for Kent last summer, will feature as a non-overseas player, subject to successful registration under the Kolpak ruling.

Sussex pace bowler Jofra Archer has agreed a two-year contract extension to run until the end of the 2019 season. The Barbados-born 21-year-old made his first-team debut in 2016, taking 28 wickets in seven first-class games. He signed a first professional contract in August, but the club have now tied him to a longer deal.

Former England captain Charlotte Edwards has joined Hampshire after ending her 16-year spell with Kent. Edwards recently took a position as a non-executive board director with Hampshire and Southern Vipers, who she captained to the inaugural Women's Super League title in the summer. The 36-year-old retired from international cricket in May, having captained England more than 200 times.

Sussex have signed South Africa all-rounder Vernon Philander as an overseas player for the first half of the 2017 county season. The 31-year-old, who has played 37 Tests for the Proteas, will be at Hove until mid-June. The right-arm seamer will be available for six County Championship matches and the group stage of the One-Day Cup. "It is very exciting to have a player of that ilk joining us," head coach Mark Davis told BBC Sussex.

Mal Loye has joined Derbyshire to take up the position of development coach. The former Bangladesh high-performance head coach and England one-day batsman scored 15,329 first-class runs and played for Lancashire and Northants. Director of cricket Kim Barnett said: "We're delighted to secure someone of Mal's calibre for the position.

Essex have signed New Zealand fast bowler Neil Wagner for the first half of the 2017 County Championship season and One-Day Cup.

Opening batsman Daryl Mitchell has signed a new four-year deal to stay with Worcestershire until the end of the 2020 season. The 33-year-old, who had two years of his previous contract to run, made his debut for the New Road side in 2005. Mitchell also spent six years as county captain before being replaced by Joe Leach in September.

Gloucestershire batsman Ian Cockbain has signed a new three-year contract with the county, tying him to Nevil Road until the end of the 2019 season. "Ian has been a massive part of the one-day and T20 side in recent times," said head coach Richard Dawson. Cockbain, 29, made his first-class debut for Gloucestershire in April 2011, after three seasons on the MCC Young Cricketers' programme at Lord's. He was briefly appointed county captain in 2015 when Geraint Jones stood down.

England fast bowler Chris Jordan has signed a one-year extension to his contract at Sussex, and will remain at Hove until the end of the 2018 season.

Yorkshire have appointed Gary Ballance as their new captain after Andrew Gale retired to become head coach. The 27-year-old England batsman will skipper the side in all three formats of the game.

Middlesex wicketkeeper-batsman John Simpson has extended his contract, keeping him at Lord's until the end of the 2019 season. The 28-year-old was an ever-present in the side which won the County Championship title in 2016. "He is one of the finest cricketers in the country," managing director of cricket Angus Fraser said.

Worcestershire are hoping to sign a new overseas player for the first half of next season after Australia all-rounder John Hastings suffered a knee injury. Hastings was due to play a full campaign for the Division Two side. But the 31-year-old tore his patella tendon while playing for Australian side Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.

Batsman Neil Broom looks set to leave Derbyshire a year before his deal ends after being recalled by New Zealand. Broom, 32, signed a two-year contract in 2015, but has asked to be released so he can join the Black Caps squad for the three-match one-day series against Bangladesh which starts on 26 December. He joined Derbyshire on a domestic contract but would count as an overseas player after his international recall. Broom said playing international cricket was "the ultimate".

England bowlers Mark Wood and Steven Finn are in the squads for the new North v South one-day series in the United Arab Emirates in March.

Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has agreed a three-year deal to join Middlesex's coaching staff. The 37-year-old will take up the position of head coach for the club's T20 Blast campaign, starting in 2017.

Ashley Giles has left Lancashire to rejoin Warwickshire as sport director.

Yorkshire have brought in Australia international batsman Peter Handscomb as their overseas signing for 2017. The 25-year-old Victoria and Melbourne Stars player will be available to play in all three formats of the game.

Middlesex captain James Franklin has signed a new contract, which will keep the former New Zealand all-rounder at Lord's until the end of 2018.

Captain Billy Godleman has signed a new deal which keeps him Derbyshire until the end of the 2019 season. The 27-year-old opening batsman joined before the start of the 2013 season and has scored 2,763 runs at an average of 34 - including seven hundreds.

Hampshire all-rounder Liam Dawson hopes he can play his way into England's white-ball plans for the year during their one-day series in India.

Kent have appointed former player Matt Walker as the club's new head coach. The 43-year-old had been assistant coach at Canterbury since the start of the 2014 campaign, working under Jimmy Adams, who left the club in October. Former South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald, who played 72 Tests for the Proteas between 1992 and 2002, has been confirmed as Walker's assistant.

South Africa pair Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw have quit international cricket to sign Kolpak deals with Hampshire.

Australia batsman Adam Voges is to return to county champions Middlesex for a fourth spell at the club. Voges, 37, has again been signed as an overseas player, having featured for Middlesex in three of the past four seasons, including their 2016 County Championship title-winning campaign. His contribution included an unbeaten 160 against Hampshire in May.

Glamorgan are in talks to sign South Africa fast bowler Marchant de Lange. The 26-year-old could be the next South African to sign a Kolpak deal after David Wiese joined Sussex on Monday.

Former England batter Lydia Greenway has been appointed as the new player-coach of the Kent women's side, who won a domestic double in 2016. The 31-year-old left-hander retired from international duty last summer after 225 appearances over 13 years.

Gloucestershire off-spinner Jack Taylor has signed an extended contract with the County Championship Division Two side until the end of the 2019 season. The 25-year-old, who made his debut for the county in 2010, also plays as a right-handed, middle-order batsman. "We have a great squad and coaching staff and I feel that there is more silverware to come," Taylor told Gloucestershire's club website.

Worcestershire have appointed former captain Norman Gifford as the club's new county president. The 76-year-old ex-England spinner succeeds lifelong Worcestershire fan and former Governor of the Bank of England, Lord Mervyn King of Lothbury.

Middlesex pace bowler Tom Helm has signed a new contract with the club, keeping him at Lord's until the end of the 2019 season.

Former Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie is in talks over becoming interim assistant coach of Kent.

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is to rejoin Middlesex for nine 2017 T20 Blast group matches. The 35-year-old, who retired from international cricket last year after more than 400 appearances in all formats, featured six times for Middlesex in the competition in 2016.

Yorkshire seam bowler Steve Patterson has extended his contract until the end of the 2018 season. The 33-year-old has played 122 first-class games for the White Rose, taking 321 wickets at an average of 27.90.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has re-signed for Surrey to play in this summer's T20 Blast competition. The 36-year-old will play his first game against Essex at The Oval on 19 July and then will be available for the rest of the tournament. Pietersen first joined Surrey in 2010 and made his last appearance in England in June 2015, when he did not bat in a rain-affected game against Sussex.

New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has signed for Birmingham Bears as an overseas player for the 2017 T20 Blast campaign. The 30-year-old has the best T20 batting strike-rate (171) in the game. "His batting strike-rate is unparalleled," said Bears director Ashley Giles.

Seamer Reece Topley has signed a new deal with county side Hampshire until the end of the 2018 campaign. The 23-year-old left-armer missed almost all of last season after breaking his hand while batting in Hampshire's first Championship match of 2016, before suffering a back injury. Topley has played 10 one-dayers and six Twenty20 internationals for England. He has taken 125 first-class wickets at an average of 25.78 since making his debut for Essex in 2011.

Derbyshire wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein has signed a new contract to stay with the County Championship Division Two side until the end of the 2019 season.

Nottinghamshire have targeted Australia paceman James Pattinson to replace injured Peter Siddle as their overseas player, BBC Radio Nottingham reports.

Derbyshire have signed experienced batsman Daryn Smit on a two-year deal until the end of the 2018 season. The 33-year-old South African, who has represented the Proteas A side, has played Lancashire League cricket in England for the past three seasons and joins as a non-overseas player. Smit has played 125 first-class matches, scoring 5,711 runs at an average of 37.32.

Hampshire batsman Joe Weatherley has joined Kent on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old, a former England Under-19 captain, has made nine first-team appearances across the three formats but has yet to establish himself in the side. He said: "Long term, my future is with Hampshire, but, given the strength of the side on paper this year, this works really well to help with developing my game."

Leicestershire have signed New Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi for their 2017 T20 Blast campaign. The 35-year-old, who has played 32 T20 internationals and represented the Black Caps 114 times, will be available for all 14 of the Foxes' group matches. Ronchi has previously played in England for Somerset and Warwickshire, as well as touring with New Zealand.

England's Mark Wood took his first wicket after a six-month lay-off as North beat Worcestershire by 71 runs in the North-South warm-ups in Dubai. The 27-year-old Durham fast bowler took 1-22 on his return from ankle surgery as Worcestershire, chasing 416, were bowled out for 345. Hampshire batsman James Vince scored 125 as South reached 344-5 to beat the United Arab Emirates by five wickets. The first of three North v South one-day matches takes place on Friday.

Derbyshire have signed New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry as their overseas player for the 2017 T20 Blast campaign.

Nottinghamshire have targeted Australia paceman James Pattinson to replace injured Peter Siddle as their overseas player, BBC Radio Nottingham reports.
Nottinghamshire have now signed Australia pace bowler James Pattinson.

Yorkshire have re-signed Australia one-day batsman Travis Head as an overseas player for the 2017 T20 Blast campaign. The 23-year-old played four times in the competition for Yorkshire last summer, scoring 113 runs. Head is a current member of Australia's one-day squads, playing 22 one-day and seven T20 internationals since making his debut in January 2016.

Kent batsman Sam Northeast hit an unbeaten 118 as South beat North by 47 runs in Dubai to go 2-0 up and clinch the three-match one-day series.

The County Championship started on April 7th and here are the completed results.

Division One
Hampshire beat Yorkshire by 4 wickets
Surrey beat Warwickshire by an innings and 1 run
Essex drew with Lancashire

Division Two
Northamptonshire beat Glamorgan by an innings and 22 runs
Nottinghamshire beat Leicestershire by 10 wickets
Kent beat Gloucestershire by 334 runs

Middlesex have become the first county to refuse to support a rule change that would pave the way for a new city-based Twenty20 competition planned for 2020.

Current matches

Specsavers County Championship - Division One
Hampshire vs Middlesex
Somerset vs Essex
Surrey vs Lancashire
Warwickshire​ vs Yorkshire

Specsavers County Championship - Division One
Derbyshire vs Northamptonshire
Durham vs Nottinghamshire
Glamorgan vs Worcestershire
Gloucestershire vs Leicestershire
Sussex vs Kent

Defending champions Middlesex began their County Championship season with a solid batting display at Hampshire. Sam Robson (84) and Stevie Eskinazi's (82) second-wicket partnership of 105 gave Middlesex a good platform after opener Nick Gubbins fell early on.

Jofra Archer claimed seven wickets as Sussex bowled Kent out for 304 in their County Championship match at Hove. Archer, 22, took a maiden first-class five-wicket haul in a devastating spell of 7-67 to combine with Ajmal Shahzad (3-91) and dismiss the away side.

Yorkshire built a healthy lead over Warwickshire on day two of their County Championship Division One game. The visitors moved to 295-6, an advantage of 117 runs, with Peter Handscomb making 75 and Tim Bresnan 61.

Result

Specsavers County Championship - Division Two

Glamorgan (207 all out, 223 all out) vs Worcestershire (403 all out, 28 - 2)

Worcestershire win by 8 wickets

Results

Specsavers County Championship - Division One
Somerset (209, 174) vs Essex (129, 257 - 2)
Essex win by 8 wickets

Specsavers County Championship - Division Two
Gloucestershire (466 - 8 dec) vs Leicestershire 259, 201)
Gloucestershire win by an innings and 6 runs

I had hope to post all the Cricket Championship match results, but I was way laid, so I will do them when I can.

Ryan Higgins' 48 off 23 balls propelled Middlesex to their joint third highest List A score of 341-5 but persistent rain saw their One-Day Cup match against Sussex abandoned.

Yorkshire skipper Gary Ballance kept up his good start to the 2017 season with a fine half-century to help Yorkshire ease to a comfortable 79-run One-Day Cup Roses match win over Lancashire.

England Test opener Keaton Jennings slammed a superb one-day best 139 off 101 balls as Durham beat One-Day Cup holders Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Moeen Ali hit 90 as Worcestershire made it back-to-back One-Day Cup wins with a 42-run victory over Leicestershire.

Ian Cockbain's unbeaten century helped Gloucestershire beat Middlesex by five wickets in the One-Day Cup at Lord's.

England one-day captain Eoin Morgan says the current side is the most talented group of players he has ever played with. Morgan's team play their first ODI of the summer on Friday against Ireland at Bristol as they begin preparations for the Champions Trophy. The 50-over tournament begins at The Oval on 1 June and consists of the eight best-ranked ODI teams.

Nick Gubbins' century helped Middlesex beat Hampshire in a rain-affected One-Day Cup game in Southampton. Gubbins made 114 from 117 deliveries, but no other batsman was able to reach 50 as Middlesex were all out for 295.

Rory Burns and Ben Foakes' fourth-wicket century stand saw Surrey ease to a seven-wicket win over Middlesex in the One-Day Cup at The Oval.

Worcestershire inflicted Yorkshire's first defeat in this season's One-Day Cup at New Road to replace them at the top of the North Group.

England paceman Steven Finn led the way with four top-order wickets as Middlesex edged out Glamorgan by 16 runs in the One-Day Cup at Radlett.

Essex have one foot in the One-Day Cup semi-finals after they leapfrogged South Group leaders Somerset to top spot with a 72-run win at Taunton. Tom Westley's century and an unbeaten 92 from Ravi Bopara set Essex on their way to 334-6 from their 50 overs.

Durham lost eight wickets for 87 runs on their way to a 15-run defeat at new North Group leaders Worcestershire.

Fourth Investec Test, Old Trafford, day two
England 362 (108.4 overs): Bairstow 99, Stokes 58, Rabada 4-91
South Africa 220-9 (68.3 overs): Bavuma 46, Anderson 4-33, Broad 2-45
England lead by 142 runs

Warwickshire finally picked up their first County Championship win of the season with a 190-run victory over defending champions Middlesex.

The day-night Test between England and West Indies on Thursday is a "step into the unknown," says bowler Stuart Broad. Edgbaston will host the first ever Test to be played under these conditions in England, and the fifth in international cricket anywhere. Play will start at 14:00 BST and continue until 21:00 BST, with an additional 30 minutes possible at the end of each day's play. "I just don't know what to expect," said 31-year-old Broad. "We are just going to have to be so adaptable on the day and figure out what's going on."

Worcestershire have signed India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for the remainder of the 2017 county season.

Jos Buttler struck 52 from 40 balls as Lancashire Lightning beat Worcestershire Rapids by seven wickets to keep their T20 Blast campaign alive. Buttler shared a 76-run partnership with fellow England international Liam Livingstone (36) to help pass the Rapids' 127-8 with 15 balls to spare. Lancashire spinners Stephen Parry, Matt Parkinson and Arron Lilley had earlier restricted Worcestershire. The win sees Lancashire move up to sixth in the North Group on 13 points.

First Test, Edgbaston, day one, close of play
England 348-3: Cook 153 not out, Root 136
West Indies: Yet to bat

Alastair Cook and Joe Root hit centuries as England dominated West Indies on the first day of the inaugural day-night Test in the UK. Cook batted through the day for his unbeaten 153, sharing 248 with skipper Root, who made 136, as England racked up 348-3 at Edgbaston. Opener Mark Stoneman managed eight on his debut and Tom Westley fell for the same score, but Dawid Malan is 27 not out. Kemar Roach took two wickets for West Indies, who were poor with the ball and in the field. Much had been made about how the pink ball would behave, but the tourists did not bowl with enough accuracy to exploit any movement that might have been on offer. On a true surface, the efforts of England's former and current captain reinforced the fear that this three-match series will be one-sided.

First Investec Test, Edgbaston, day two
England 514-8 dec: Cook 243, Root 136, Malan 65, Chase 4-113
West Indies 44-1
West Indies trail by 470 runs

Alastair Cook remorselessly churned out 243 as England tightened their grip on West Indies on day two of the day-night Test at Edgbaston. Cook batted for almost 10 hours, his eventual dismissal prompting England's declaration at 514-8. Dawid Malan, looking to secure a place at number five, scored 65, his maiden Test half-century. West Indies had reached 44-1, 470 behind, when rain forced the players off with 26 overs left to bowl.

Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels have been named in the West Indies squad for the one-day series against England.

First Investec Test, Edgbaston, day two
England 514-8 dec: Cook 243, Root 136, Malan 65, Chase 4-113
West Indies 44-1
West Indies trail by 470 runs

Alastair Cook remorselessly churned out 243 as England tightened their grip on West Indies on day two of the day-night Test at Edgbaston. Cook batted for almost 10 hours, his eventual dismissal prompting England's declaration at 514-8. Dawid Malan, looking to secure a place at number five, scored 65, his maiden Test half-century. West Indies had reached 44-1, 470 behind, when rain forced the players off with 26 overs left to bowl.
England went on to win by an innings and 129 runs.

Nottinghamshire have re-signed India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara for their last four Championship matches of 2017. Pujara has retured with Notts on the cusp of promotion from Division Two. The 29-year-old played four matches for Notts earlier this season and made 223 runs in five innings, including a century against Gloucestershire. "The great thing is he has already been in the squad this season and fitted in so well on and off the field," said Notts head coach Peter Moores. "We are getting a guy who is coming back in form and for the team spirit, him coming back in is a huge boost for everybody." Notts have a 35-point lead over second-placed Worcestershire, with Northants 50 points adrift in third having played a game fewer.

Glamorgan cantered into their first T20 Finals Day since 2004 with a comprehensive nine-wicket quarter-final win over Leicestershire at Cardiff. Leicestershire were dismissed for only 123 with Craig Meschede (3-17) and Graham Wagg (2-12) among the wickets. Luke Ronchi (28) and Ned Eckersley (25) lacked support after a promising start by the Foxes, who elected to bat first. Glamorgan chased 124 with 38 balls to spare as Colin Ingram (70 not out) and Jacques Rudolph (46 not out) dominated. Glamorgan join Hampshire at Finals Day on Saturday, 2 September at Edgbaston, having been knocked out in the quarter-finals last season.

omerset pair Craig and Jamie Overton have both had their contracts with the Division One county extended to the end of the 2020 season. The 23-year-old twin brothers' deals had been due to expire in 2018. Craig has taken 168 wickets in 55 first-class matches while averaging 24.43 with the bat, hitting seven 50s. Jamie - who, like his brother, is a right-hand bowler and right-hand batsman - has played 95 matches across all three formats, taking 168 wickets. Somerset chief executive Lee Cooper told the club website: "Craig and Jamie are exceptionally talented players and to have secured their long-term futures is a real coup for the club."

Jamie Porter claimed a career-best 7-55 for match figures of 12-95, as Essex beat Somerset to propel the Division One leaders nearer the title.

On paper, T20 Blast Finals Day appears to have the perfect mix. A team on their home turf, an outsider, arguably the best side in the competition and Finals Day veterans. Birmingham Bears, Glamorgan, Notts Outlaws and Hampshire will battle it out for the crown amid the fireworks, fancy dress and frenetic scoring.

Notts Outlaws won their first domestic Twenty20 title with a 22-run victory over Birmingham Bears in the T20 Blast final at Edgbaston. A magnificent 132-run stand between Brendan Taylor (65) and Samit Patel (64 not out) propelled Notts to 190-4 after they had slumped to 30-3 early on. Harry Gurney's 4-17 restricted the Bears to 168-8, despite Sam Hain's 72. Notts now hold both domestic limited-overs trophies after their One-Day Cup success at Lord's in July.

Leicestershire head coach Pierre de Bruyn has left the Division Two club after one year in the role. The 40-year-old South African has overseen 11 County Championship matches without a win this term, losing six. Graeme Welch and John Sadler have been placed in interim charge of the side until the end of the 2017 season.

England pace bowler Steven Finn has signed a new contract with Middlesex. Lancashire had recently confirmed their interest in signing Finn, 28, who was in the final year of his contract.

Bad weather (rain) disrupts starts in all nine County Championship fixtures today.

Northamptonshire seam bowler Ben Sanderson has signed a new three-year contract with the club. The 28-year-old has taken 31 Championship wickets this season at an average of 22.29, plus 15 in limited-overs competitions. "Sando is an improving cricketer with a hunger to get even better. He is a high quality English seamer," head coach David Ripley told the club website. Sanderson's new deal will run until the end of the 2020 season.

Yorkshire have signed West Indies Test batsman Kraigg Brathwaite for the final two games of the Championship season. The opener, 24, scored a century at Headingley to help his side win the second Test against England in August. He is set to play in the final Test at Lord's, starting on Thursday, before replacing Australian Shaun Marsh.

THIRD TEST: ENGLAND V WEST INDIES, Lord's Cricket Ground London.

First Day:

Windies captain Jason Holder wins the toss and elects to bat.

Only one change across both sides from the starting XIs at Headingley - Toby Roland-Jones comes back in for Chris Woakes, who looked short of game time in the second Test.

The teams:

England: Cook, Stoneman, Westley, Root, Malan, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Roland-Jones, Broad, Anderson.

West Indies: Brathwaite, Powell, K Hope, S Hope, Chase, Blackwood, Dowrich, Holder Roach, Bishoo, Gabriel.

THIRD TEST: ENGLAND V WEST INDIES, Lord's Cricket Ground London.

First Day:

Windies captain Jason Holder wins the toss and elects to bat.

Only one change across both sides from the starting XIs at Headingley - Toby Roland-Jones comes back in for Chris Woakes, who looked short of game time in the second Test.

The teams:

England: Cook, Stoneman, Westley, Root, Malan, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Roland-Jones, Broad, Anderson.

West Indies: Brathwaite, Powell, K Hope, S Hope, Chase, Blackwood, Dowrich, Holder Roach, Bishoo, Gabriel.
It could also be a momentous occasion for James Anderson - who needs three more wickets to reach 500 in Tests and become just the sixth man in history to do so.

THIRD TEST: ENGLAND V WEST INDIES, Lord's Cricket Ground London.

First Day:

Windies captain Jason Holder wins the toss and elects to bat.

Only one change across both sides from the starting XIs at Headingley - Toby Roland-Jones comes back in for Chris Woakes, who looked short of game time in the second Test.

The teams:

England: Cook, Stoneman, Westley, Root, Malan, Stokes, Bairstow, Ali, Roland-Jones, Broad, Anderson.

West Indies: Brathwaite, Powell, K Hope, S Hope, Chase, Blackwood, Dowrich, Holder Roach, Bishoo, Gabriel.
At lunch, West Indies are 35 for 2.

James Anderson took a career-best 7-42 to lead England to a series-clinching nine-wicket victory over West Indies in the third and deciding Test at Lord's. Anderson, who took his 500th Test wicket on Friday, claimed five more on day three as West Indies were bowled out for 177, despite 62 from Shai Hope. Set 107, England were taken to their target by an unbroken stand of 72 between Mark Stoneman and Tom Westley. The 2-1 series win follows a 3-1 success against South Africa.

England players have been released for duty with their clubs for this week's County Championship fixtures.

In the week they could be crowned champions, Division One leaders Essex will have Tom Westley available for the trip to Edgbaston to face Warwickshire.

The Bears, who could be relegated this week, will have Chris Woakes back.

But Essex are not allowed to use ex-England captain Alastair Cook, while second-placed Lancashire go to Somerset without seam bowler James Anderson.

Surrey opener Mark Stoneman will be allowed to play against Yorkshire, while the England and Wales Cricket Board have also freed Middlesex paceman Toby Roland-Jones and Hampshire spinner Mason Crane to face each other at Uxbridge.

To claim their first county title since 1992 Essex must win at Edgbaston while hoping that Lancashire slip up at Taunton against relegation-threatened Somerset, who have lost injured duo Jamie Overton and Lewis Gregory.

No play was possible on day one of the County Championship Division One match between Middlesex and Hampshire because of wet conditions at Uxbridge.

good thing I did not go there yesterday.