Clarke quits captaincy

All-rounder hands over the reins after admitting poor performances

By Rebecca Syrocki   Last updated: 12th August 2008  

Clarke quits captaincy

Clarke: Hands over to Rodgers

It is a brave decision by Rikki and he deserves respect for putting the team and the club ahead of his own personal ambitions as captain.

Derbyshire's head of cricket John Morris
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Derbyshire captain Rikki Clarke has stepped down from his captaincy after confessing his form was suffering while in the job.

Clarke, who joined Derbyshire from Surrey this season, will pass on the captaincy to Australian Chris Rodgers for the remainder of the season.

The 23-year-old has shown poor form with both bat and ball for his club this season, Derbyshire are presently sixth in Division Two of the LV County Championship.

He has averaged well below his first-class average of 37 with 21.12 with the bat and has only taken 11 wickets in the four day game.

The decision was made after Derbyshire's recent draw with Worcestershire explained the club's head of cricket John Morris.

"It is a brave decision by Rikki and he deserves respect for putting the team and the club ahead of his own personal ambitions as captain," he said.

"He hasn't played as well as he would have liked since joining us, he moved from the county he has spent his whole career during the winter and he and his partner Harriet have had their first child this summer.

"That is an awful lot to be going on for any player and Rikki felt it was best for everyone if he gave up the captaincy."

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