In a busy 24 hours for the club, Essex CCC have announced Tom Westley is to succeed Ryan Ten Doeschate as captain of the club in both the four-day and one-day competitions.
Westley’s appointment comes after 39-year-old Ten Doeschate resigned the position he had held for four seasons, saying: “Now is the right time for someone new to take charge.”
Four Wonderful Years
The South-African born all-rounder oversaw a resurgence in fortunes for the club, firstly captaining the team to promotion to division one in 2016, before leading Essex to two County Championship titles in the next three years.
Ten Doeschate left a heartfelt message in an open letter to fans upon his surprise stepping down:
“It’s been the biggest privilege to captain this club for the for the last four years…I would like to pay tribute to an incredible bunch of players who have given everything to the team over the last four years and to whom I will always be indebted for allowing me to live out my cricket dream, thank you.”
A Change In Mindset
Ten Doeschate will remain a key player for Essex as they look to further cement their dominance in the English county game and hopes his resignation allows him to ‘focus’ specifically on his role as a batsman to ‘continue to try get the best out of the club.’
The New Skipper
Westley was the obvious option to become the new captain. The 30-year-old who has been capped five times by England, has been at the club since he was 13 and been a vital part of Essex’s recent success with strong performances with the bat.
The batsman paid tribute to the departing captain and spoke of his pride of becoming the new captain:
“I’ve been with the club since I was 13 and I can’t really put into words how much this means to me. I’ve spent my whole career with Essex so it’s a really proud moment for me and my family.”
Passing The Torch
The new captain echoed the thoughts of many fans, showering his predecessor with praise as he faces the tough task of following the fan favorite:
“Ryan has done an outstanding job and deserves every bit of praise he gets. He’s been a fantastic captain, a close friend and an excellent leader who I’ve learnt a lot from…We’ve been so successful as a club under his guidance, and my main goal as captain is to continue the great work he’s done, carry on winning games of cricket and ultimately bring more trophies to this great club.”
With the squad being led by Ten Doeschate for so long, it will be interesting to see how the players respond to a new voice in the locker room.
Fans will be hoping Westley hits the ground running in his new role and maintains the success Essex have had in recent years.
