T20 winner and former Steelbacks skipper Josh Cobb leaves Northants 'by mutual agreement'

The former Steelbacks skipper departs the County Ground 'by mutual agreement', having not featured for the first team since the Vitality Blast North Group defeat at Birmingham Bears on June 9, 2023.

Cobb, who was man of the match when Northants won the T20 Blast at Edgbaston in 2016, is now free to 'pursue cricketing opportunities elsewhere'.

A club statement read: "Northamptonshire County Cricket Club can confirm Josh Cobb will not be part of the playing squad in 2024.

"Cobb has left the club by mutual agreement ahead of the final year of his existing contract, allowing him to pursue cricketing opportunities elsewhere."

The former Leicestershire all-rounder, who was brought to the club by David Ripley, was under contract at Northants until the end of 2024, but he leaves Wantage Road with immediate effect.

“I have loved my time at the club, winning the T20 Blast in 2016 is one of the highlights of my career so far, and I hope the club can return to those glory days in the future,” said Cobb .

“I’d like to thank the club, staff, my team-mates and of course the fans for all their support over the years.

“I’m looking forward to what the future holds in the next stage of my playing career.”

Cobb joined Northants ahead of the 2015 season, and went on to make 201 appearances for the club in his eight years at Wantage Road.

He was part of the Steelbacks team that reached the Blast final in 2015, when they lost to Lancashire Lightning, as well as that famous win in 2016.

Across all three formats of the game he scored 6,277 runs, including three centuries, and also picked up 58 wickets with his right-arm off-spin.

It is a sad end to Cobb's County Ground career, and his departure can be traced back to the weeks leading up to the 2023 Vitality Blast campaign.

Cobb had been captain of the Steelbacks since taking over from Alex Wakely in 2019, and had been preparing to do so again last summer.

But two weeks before the start of the tournament, head coach John Sadler made the call to make the returning David Willey - who had reported early for Northants duty after injury cut short his stint in the Indian Premier League - the new Steelbacks skipper.

Sadler declared at the time: "As a club we need to maximise all of David's expertise.

"He's played in all the tournaments around the world, he's playing international cricket, he's played with the best players and coaches and now he's bringing that into our dressing room."

Cobb made it clear he wasn't happy with the decision, writing on social media: "Having been blindsided by the news, I am both shocked and disappointed to be relieved of my captaincy duties so close to the Blast starting."

The 33-year-old vowed to back Willey and do his best for the club on his return to the playing ranks, but Cobb and the Steelbacks struggled for form, and the 30-run loss to the Bears when chasing just 138 to win proved to be his final appearance in a Northants shirt.

Cobb spent the rest of the summer playing for the Northants IIs when called upon, as well as his club side Kibworth, with Sadler opting not to select the player in any of the club's matches in the last four months of the season.

“On behalf of everyone at the club I’d like to wish Josh all the best for the future,” said Northants chief executive Ray Payne.

“We’re grateful for his service as both a player and a leader as our white ball captain during his eight years at the club."