Kelsall Made Staffordshire Captain

One of the lost generation of Nottinghamshire England U19 Internationals that Mick Newell has guided to obscurity, has gained a new new start for 2020. Good luck luck to Sam Kelsall who recently was involved in u17 age group development for the Nottinghamshire Board (I believe?).

Chris Travers Stoke Sentinel 31/10/19

Sam Kelsall has been named as Staffordshire County Cricket Club’s new captain.

The Moddershall & Oulton skipper takes over the reins from Kadeer Ali, who has stepped down after five years because of work commitments.

West Bromwich Dartmouth's Ali was recently appointed as Worcestershire’s second-team coach and his new role is likely to rule him out of Staffs duty.

The county have now turned to 26-year-old Kelsall to captain the side in all three formats next summer.

Staffs chairman Phil Oliver, who announced the appointment at tonight’s committee meeting, said: “We are looking at the long term and Sam ticks all of the boxes.

“Having spoken to him, he’s got the right ideas.”

Kelsall was previously on the staff at Nottinghamshire, but after being released, he spent the 2015 campaign with Lincolnshire.

However, he moved back to represent home county Staffordshire in 2016 and has gone on to play in 17 Championship matches.

He has hit two centuries in three-day cricket, but was limited to just one appearance in that format this summer.

Kelsall was laid low by a finger injury, before family matters prevented him from being available.

He has a good record in the one-day competition and was part of the Staffordshire side which reached the 2016 Knockout Trophy final where they lost to Herefordshire.

Kelsall has also reached the semi-final stage twice - with Lincolnshire in 2015 and Staffordshire in 2017.

His only 50-over appearance for Staffs in the summer was the first-round win at Hertfordshire.

Kelsall has captained Staffordshire before after leading the side in their Twenty20 matches against Cheshire in 2019.

Ali signed off as county captain by leading Staffordshire to the Eastern Division title.

However, they suffered an agonising one-wicket defeat by Berkshire in the Championship final at Banbury.