Wessels leaves Northants

Kepler Wessels has parted company with Northamptonshire. The South African has quit his post as director of cricket after a poor run of results which has left them propping up the Second Division of the County Championship.

Wessels led the team to promotion in his first season in charge. A statement said: "Kepler joined the county in 2003 and in his first season with the club got promotion to Division One of the County Championship and the National Cricket League.

"In the years following the club has been forced to tighten its belt and reduce the size of the budget available for squad development.

"Despite this difficulty the team has maintained its Division One status in the National Cricket League and has figured prominently in the Twenty20 Cup.

"However, 2006 has been a difficult season. Understandably a poor run of results had led to frustrations for the director of cricket, the dressing room and the club and inevitably tensions run high in these situations.

"Kepler feels that he has now taken the club as far as he thinks possible. It is with this background that we have amicably parted company at this time."