John Simpson leaves Sussex to join Nottinghamshire on two-year deal

Nottinghamshire have confirmed the signing of wicketkeeper-batter John Simpson on a two-year deal, with the agreement announced on September 29 2026. The 38-year-old arrives from Sussex after the expiry of his contract and will be available for red-ball and Metro Bank One-Day Cup fixtures at Trent Bridge, a deal that extends beyond his 40th birthday.

Simpson joined Sussex from Middlesex ahead of the 2024 season and made an immediate impact. He assumed the Championship captaincy and guided the county to the Division Two title that year, accumulating 1197 runs at an average of 74.81. Sussex also advanced to the T20 Blast semi-finals during that same campaign.

He oversaw a fourth-placed finish in Division One in 2025 before handing the captaincy to Ollie Robinson ahead of the 2026 season, in which he scored 581 County Championship runs. Over his three seasons at Hove, Simpson compiled 2864 red-ball runs at 53.03 with 11 centuries. Simpson also represented England in three ODIs in 2021.

Why did Simpson leave Sussex?

Financial constraints at Sussex were the primary reason behind Simpson's departure rather than any deterioration in the playing relationship. The club was unable to retain him beyond the current contract despite his significant contributions on and off the field, including leading the county back into Division One cricket.

"I'm really excited to sign for Nottinghamshire and experience a new challenge in my career up at Trent Bridge. They're a great team with some really good players who have obviously enjoyed some success recently, so I can't wait to join up with them and keep challenging for honours. I've got a lot of respect for Peter Moores, and I know his teams are always driven to succeed, so I'm excited to experience that environment and hopefully win some more trophies," Simpson said, as quoted by Cricinfo.

What does Simpson's arrival mean for Nottinghamshire?

The recruitment of Simpson signals that South Africa Test wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne will not be returning to Trent Bridge for the 2027 season. Verreynne had been a significant presence for the county, most notably striking the six that clinched Nottinghamshire's Championship title in 2025. Nottinghamshire finished as defending champions going into the 2026 season, with Sussex ending one place above them in third.Head coach Peter Moores acknowledged the value Verreynne had brought while explaining the strategic benefit of the new signing.

"John's a quality wicketkeeper and batter, with a proven track record over the last few years. It's a double-edged sword because we've loved having Kyle, and he's been fantastic for us. The big difference by having John to play the same role is the flexibility that it will give us with our second overseas spot moving forward," Moores said, via the aforementioned source.