Tom Westley has stepped down as captain of Essex after seven seasons in the role.

Essex finished eighth in Division One of the County Championship, one spot above the relegation places.

However, their top-flight status rests on the outcome of Leicestershire’s appeal against a 27-point deduction for breaching pitch regulations.

A draw against Glamorgan in their final match meant Essex ended the season 25 points clear of the Foxes, who will stay up at Essex’s expense if their appeal is successful and they get all 27 points back.

Westley, Essex’s longest-serving player, said captaining the county had been his “greatest honour”.

“Personally, I feel that my biggest value is scoring runs and contributing to Essex victories, something which I haven’t been able to achieve this year,” the 37-year-old told the club website., external

“For that reason, I feel now is the right time for a change and for the club to explore a new direction.”

Essex were reigning county champions when former England Test batter Westley succeeded Ryan ten Doeschate as club captain in January 2020.

That year’s County Championship did not take place because of the Covid pandemic, but Westley led Essex to victory in the shortened red-ball competition that replaced it, the Bob Willis Trophy.

They registered successive top-four finishes in 2022, 2023 and 2024 but ended 2025 in sixth spot and – as things stand – have just avoided the drop in 2026.