Capel sacked as Northants coach

Northamptonshire head coach David Capel has been sacked with immediate effect after six years in the job. David Ripley, the second XI coach and academy director, will take charge on an interim basis

The county reached the midway point in the Championship season handily placed at fourth in Division Two but have suffered a miserable time in one-day and Twenty20 cricket. They only recently managed their first limited-overs win of the season, against Glamorgan in the FLt20, and remain bottom of the Midlands/West/Wales group. They are also bottom of Group C in the CB40. With Ripley moving up, Phil Rowe will take charge of the academy.

Capel said: "I am naturally very disappointed at this decision, but can look back with pride at my achievements at Northamptonshire, and am looking forward to moving on and continuing my career in first class cricket at another County.

"I would like to take this opportunity to wish David Ripley, Phil Rowe and all the players the very best for the rest of the season and thank the supporters and colleagues for their help, and for all the years of enjoyment I've had at the club."

In a brief statement the club chairman Martin Lawrence said: "On behalf of the board of directors and all at the club we sincerely thank David for his good work over the past six years in his current role and his 33 years of great service to the club as player and coach.

"David has done an outstanding job with limited resources, but we need to try a new direction as results have not gone with us through the first half of the season. We wish David all the very best in his future in cricket and he remains, of course, most welcome at the County Ground at any time."