Hussey to captain Durham next season

Mike Hussey, the Australian batsman, will replace Jon Lewis as Durham's captain next season. Durham will be Hussey's third county side, after a successful three-year stint with Northants, and half a season with Gloucestershire this year.

Hussey, who has also captained Western Australia and Northants, said he would relish the challenge: "There is a lot of young talent within the team and I'm really looking forward to helping them develop. I am convinced that Durham are more than capable of achieving promotion in both one-day and Championship cricket in 2005."

Martyn Moxon, the former Yorkshire and England batsman, who is now Durham's coach, explained: "It was felt that a change in leadership would help the team's progression. Mike will bring a new approach to the squad in addition to the wealth of experience he acquired as captain of Northants and Western Australia."

Moxon praised Lewis, the outgoing captain, saying that he had done a superb job throughout his tenure, while David Harker, Durham's chief executive, added that the club were looking to Lewis to support Hussey in his captaincy.

There will be another Australian addition to Durham's 2005 squad - yesterday they announced that Ashley Noffke, the 27-year-old Queensland fast bowler, was also being drafted in.