Sussex have retained the services of overseas players Daniel Hughes and Jayden Seales for the 2025 County Championship, meaning no return to the club for India star Cheteshwar Pujara .
Australian left-hander Hughes will be available for all Championship and T20 Vitality Blast fixtures next season, while West Indies right-arm quick Seales is available for the first block of Championship fixtures.
Hughes was the leading run scorer in the group stages of this year's Blast with 560 runs at average of 43.07, including five half-centuries and a highest score of 96 not out. He helped Sussex secure a home quarter-final against Lancashire Lightning on September 4. He will also feature in Sussex's final five Championship games this season as the club pursues promotion to the first division.
Paul Farbrace, Sussex head coach, said: "Taking over from Cheteshwar is not an easy task, but Dan has fitted in brilliantly and we are all delighted he will be back for the whole of next season."
"Dan has been top class for us on and off the field," Farbrace added. "He has brought a wealth of experience to the dressing room and has seriously helped some of our young batters with the development of their games."
Pujara returned to Sussex for a third consecutive season in 2024, playing the first seven Championship games before Hughes arrived for the start of the Blast and remainder of the Championship. Along with Seales and Australian Nathan McAndrew, they made up the club's overseas contingent this year. With Hughes available for the entire season in 2025, Farbrace is likely to look at bowlers, should the club wish to bring in any other overseas players.
Hughes said he jumped at the chance to return to the club. "I've loved my first season at Sussex. The boys, coaches, club and the entire Sussex community have welcomed me with open arms and it already feels like home. I'm excited to see what we can do for the rest of this season and to keep building into next year."
Seales played in Sussex's first seven Championship matches this season, taking 38 wickets at an average of 25.29. His best figures of 5 for 29 came against Derbyshire and helped Sussex to a comfortable innings-and-124-run victory which cemented their place at the top of the second division.
He recently claimed 13 wickets in the Test series against England and has taken a total of 62 wickets in 15 appearances for the West Indies. Farbrace described Seales as "a fabulous bowler and a high-quality person".
"He showed on many occasions during the early season that he runs in hard every ball, whatever the conditions and situation in the game," Farbrace said. "He gave himself a great chance of success every day."
Meanwhile, Glamorgan announced the signing of Fraser Sheat from New Zealand for the next month of County Championship matches. Sheat, a right-arm seamer from Canterbury, has played 33 first class games taking 103 wickets at an average of 25.08. He will go straight into Glamorgan's squad when their season resumes at Derbyshire on Thursday.
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