Josh Cobb left 'shocked and disappointed' as he loses Steelbacks captaincy

It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that new signing David Willey will be leading the side in this summer's tournament, which starts in just two weeks' time.

Willey has returned to hometown club Northants after seven years with Yorkshire, where he was the skipper of the White Roses’ T20 team for the past two years.

Willey takes control of the Steelbacks with immediate effect and Cobb, who had been white ball captain at Wantage Road since 2019, took to Twitter to state he had been 'blindsided' by the news.

But he was quick to offer his best wishes to Willey, and stated he will now concentrate on doing all he can to 'win as many games for Northants as I can'.

The Steelbacks start their Blast campaign on May 24, and Cobb thought he would be the man leading the team as he has done for the past four seasons.

But it will not be the case with head coach John Sadler opting to make the change, with Willey’s early and unexpected return from Indian Premier League duty due to injury the catalyst.

"Having been blindsided by the news, I am both shocked and disappointed to be relieved of my captaincy duties so close to the Blast starting," wrote Cobb on Twitter in response to the club’s announcement.

"Spending the winter planning and preparing the squad, I felt we were in a good position to challenge again this year and we still absolutely are!!

"It has been an honour and a privilege to lead Northants over the past four or five years and I have enjoyed it all.

"Thanks to David Ripley for entrusting me with the opportunity and all the players and fans for their support.

"I would also like to wish David Willey all the best for his tenure as captain.

"For now I'll be trying to win as many games for Northants and my team-mates as I can.

"Hopefully the squad can focus on two massive championship games and then get stuck into the T20s. Let's go and win the Blast again!"

On Cobb’s time as skipper, head coach Sadler said: “Josh has led the side well in recent years, he’s got a good cricket brain and is tactically astute.

"I’ve got full respect for Cobby, he’s a crucial part of this side and when he’s firing he’s one of the best around.”

Cobb led the Steelbacks to the Blast quarter-finals in his first full season in charge in the Covid-hit summer of 2020, but the past two seasons have ended with the team being knocked out in the group stages.

Hopes are high the team can reach finals day for the first time since 2016 this summer, with the recruitment of Willey seen as a real coup, along with the return of batting sensation Chris Lynn and fellow Aussie pace bowler AJ Tye.

Before the Blast starts though, Northants have the little matter of two LV= County Championship matches to contest, the first of which starts against Nottinghamshire at Wantage Road on Thursday (start 11am).

They then travel to Hampshire next week.