Chris Jordan, Phil Salt to leave Sussex for Surrey, Lancashire at end of season

Chris Jordan and Phil Salt are to leave Sussex for Surrey and Lancashire respectively at the end of the season.

Jordan, who remains a key part of England's T20 World Cup plans, returns to the club he represented between 2007 and 2012 and will captain the side in T20 cricket. His deal runs until the end of 2024.

Salt, who made a good impression in his first taste of international cricket earlier in the season, is seen as a like-for-like replacement for Alex Davies at Old Trafford, who has signed for Warwickshire. He is understood to have been a boyhood Lancashire supporter who once asked for an autograph of the club's head coach, Glen Chapple, while the club were on pre-season tour in Barbados, where Salt lived.

Both Salt, who is 24, and Jordan, who is 32, declined new contract offers at Sussex. Both will, however, be available for the club on T20 Finals Day this year.

"I am extremely pleased to be returning to the place where it all started for me at the age of 17," Jordan said. "I return having evolved not only as a cricketer but a person and I'm looking forward continuing that evolution.

"I am honoured to be entrusted with leading the T20 team over the next few years and playing a part in helping the club win trophies. There is an enormous amount of talent in the dressing room and I can't wait to get started."

Surrey hope that Jordan's arrival will improve their T20 form, in particular. They club finished fifth in the South Group in 2021, but their director of cricket, Alec Stewart, believes the arrival of "one of the finest death bowlers in the world" will revive their fortunes.

"I first saw him when he was at Dulwich College as a 16-year-old and his obvious talent was there to see then therefore I'm delighted to welcome CJ back to Surrey, his first home in county cricket," Stewart said. "He has worked tirelessly at his game to get himself to the point now where he is regarded as one of the finest death bowlers in the world.

"His skill and work ethic, coupled with vast experience at the international and franchise level means I'm very confident he will contribute in a big way both on and off the field."

Salt's signing is something of a coup for Lancashire. As he showed in his three ODIs against Pakistan, he is a powerful, aggressive top-order player who might well, in a different era, be in England's white-ball sides. But with the country currently progressing remarkable depth in top-order batting, Lancashire can expect him to be available most of the time. He is young, though, with the scope for improvement and could well force his way into contention for more international cricket. It is understood that Sussex made a concerted effort to retain him.

While the move of both men has created some concern around the counties - it is understood the issue of Hundred-hosting clubs gaining a financial advantage over other clubs has been raised with the ECB - it might also hint of a deeper issue at Sussex. While the club have qualified for T20 Finals Day, they finished seventh in Group One of the Royal London One-Day Cup and bottom of Group Three of the County Championship. Rumours of discontent are growing.

"To be saying goodbye to everyone at Sussex has to be one of the toughest things I've had to do to date," Salt said. "In my time at the club I have realised my dream of playing international cricket and I have formed lifetime relationships.

"This has not been an easy decision to make. Sussex is a special place to play cricket and I will be forever grateful to the club for giving me an opportunity back in 2013.

"I now feel it's time for me to take on a new challenge. I am very proud to have represented such a great club. I want to thank the entire back room staff and my teammates who have been a part of the journey but most importantly the fans and supporters who have made the entire experience extremely special."