Alex Lees, Named Durham Captain, Extends Contract

Alex Lees has been appointed captain of Durham, replacing Scott Borthwick, and has signed a contract extension to remain with the club for at least three more seasons. Lees, an England opener with 10 Test caps, has led Durham's white-ball teams over the past two years and guided the side to the T20 Blast quarter-finals last season. He will now take on leadership duties in the County Championship as Borthwick transitions to a player-coach role. 

Having started his career at Yorkshire, where he was once tipped as a future Test regular, Lees made the move to Durham in 2018 after facing challenges with form. Since then, he has flourished, earning an England call-up following their Ashes defeat in 2021/22. Though his international record includes two fifties in 19 innings with an average of 23.84, Lees has been prolific for Durham, scoring nine Championship centuries in the past two seasons. 

Expressing his excitement, Lees described the captaincy as an honour and highlighted the potential of the squad to win trophies. Durham’s director of cricket, Marcus North, praised Lees for his dedication and leadership qualities, emphasising his significant role in the team since his arrival. 

Durham has further bolstered its squad with signings including Will Rhodes, Emilio Gay, and Sam Conners. Additionally, Lees may have access to Ben Stokes and Mark Wood early in the 2025 season, though their availability depends on ECB commitments. Meanwhile, Brydon Carse will miss the early season due to IPL commitments.