Sussex have appointed Matt Walker as their new head coach. He will take over from Paul Farbrace in November.
Walker’s background
Walker joins from Kent, where he spent eight years and led the county to promotion to Division One. Under him Kent won the Vitality Blast in 2021 and the One-Day Cup in 2022. As a player with Kent and Essex he scored more than 18,000 runs across all formats.
He has also worked with the England men’s team, is currently batting coach at Warwickshire and is an assistant coach at Oval Invincibles in The Hundred.
Walker said he was honoured and excited to take the job, calling Sussex a club with a proud history. He said he was looking forward to working with the squad and staff, and with Farbrace, and to helping the club challenge for trophies.
How the decision was made
Farbrace said Sussex ran a three-stage recruitment process with a number of strong candidates from around the game. Walker, he said, stood out at every stage thanks to his experience, energy and enthusiasm, and he is keen to work with him as the club builds a side able to compete for major honours.
The challenge at Hove
Walker arrives while Sussex are still rebuilding on and off the field. The club was handed a 12-point deduction for the 2026 season after sustained operating losses. It is also under an ECB-imposed player salary cap until 2028 and must present a sustainable three-year financial plan while posting operating profits year on year.
Working with newly appointed chairman Ed Warner, Walker will aim to return the club to success within those limits and make it a consistent contender in every format.
