Wessels and Northants part company

Kepler Wessels, Northamptonshire's director of cricket, has left the county by mutual consent after a poor season which has left the side propping up the foot of the second division of the Championship.

Wessels joined Northants in 2003 and within a year they had gained promotion to the top flight, but he always struggled against a backdrop of budget restrictions, although their one-day performances were not as poor.

"Understandably, a poor run of results had led to frustrations for the director of cricket, the dressing room and the club and inevitably tensions run high in these situations," said a statement issued by the county. "Kepler feels that he has now taken the club as far as he thinks possible and has had conversation with the club recently. It is with this background that we have amicably parted company at this time."

It seems unlikely that Northamptonshire will be rushed into appointing a replacement with only a couple of months of the season remaining.