Lancashire have appointed Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace as their new director of cricket, weeks before he was due to assume the same role at Hove.

Sussex confirmed in July that Farbrace, 59, would switch roles from head coach to director of cricket from November, where he would work on a part-time basis.

But he now departs to take over from Mark Chilton, who left the post at Old Trafford last month after five years in the job.

Lancashire finished the season seventh in Division Two of the County Championship, the lowest position in the club’s history.

Meanwhile, Farbrace helped guide Sussex to third place in Division One, despite beginning the season with a 12-point penalty.

The financial problems at Hove which triggered that deduction led Farbace to announce in April that he would step down as head coach at the end of the 2026 season.

In July, he said he would be staying to move into a part-time director of cricket role and oversaw the appointment of Matt Walker as his successor as head coach.

However, the former England assistant coach – who led Sussex to promotion from Division Two in 2023 – has now opted to move to Lancashire.

“It is with mixed emotions that I am leaving Sussex after four years,” Farbrace told the club’s website, external.

“I will always be grateful to Sussex for giving me the honour of being head coach and allowing me to work with a fabulous group of players and staff.”

More to follow.