- James Kirtley will leave his position as bowling coach at Sussex at the end of October 2026. The 51-year-old leaves by mutual consent as part of a restructuring of the coaching staff, with new head coach Matt Walker leading the search for a replacement.
- Sussex CCC (Photo by Mike Hewitt/) James Kirtley, Sussex bowling coach, is expected to leave his post at the end of October due to financial problems and structural changes at the club.
- Kirtley, 51, took over as full-time bowling coach in November 2019 after working as a consultant in the county for two years.
James Kirtley will leave his position as bowling coach at Sussex at the end of October 2026. The 51-year-old leaves by mutual consent as part of a restructuring of the coaching staff, with new head coach Matt Walker leading the search for a replacement.
Sussex CCC (Photo by Mike Hewitt/) James Kirtley, Sussex bowling coach, is expected to leave his post at the end of October due to financial problems and structural changes at the club. Kirtley, 51, took over as full-time bowling coach in November 2019 after working as a consultant in the county for two years. His association with Sussex as a player lasted 16 years, during which the county won three county championship titles and three limited overs trophies.
During his tenure as bowling coach, Sussex won the Rothesay County Championship Division Two title in 2024 and subsequently cemented themselves in the top half of Division One in successive seasons. Under his leadership, the county also qualified for two days of T20 finals. Kirtley worked with England players Jofra Archer and Ollie Robinson during his coaching tenure and also managed Lions bowler Henry Crocombe, who scored hat-tricks in two consecutive league games this season.
Kirtley’s 18-year-old son Ollie played three One Day Cup games for Sussex this summer. Why is Kirtley leaving Sussex? Sussex Cricket confirmed the separation was by mutual consent and was directly related to a restructure of the county’s coaching staff.
No other specific reasons beyond the restructuring were mentioned in the official announcement. New head coach Matt Walker described the situation as a “restructuring of the coaching staff.” “I leave Sussex with a heavy heart but also with my head held high.
“I am really reassured to know that the team is in a stronger position and that I, along with many others, have contributed to achieving this success,” Kirtley said in an official club statement. Kirtley’s departure is the latest in a series of changes to Sussex’s backroom staff. Head coach Paul Farbrace is about to move to Lancashire as director of cricket, while batting coach Grant Flower will soon move to Surrey.
Who will replace Kirtley as Sussex bowling coach? Sussex have confirmed that Matt Walker will lead the search for a new bowling coach in his cacity as new head coach. As of October 20, 2026, no pointments have been announced and no successor has been named.
The search for a replacement comes at a difficult time for the district. The Sussexes are operating on an ECB salary until 2028, imposed after persistent operating losses. A number of players also left the club, including Henry Crocombe, John Simpson, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Daniel Hughes and Tom Alsop.
