SA-born player handed Durham captaincy
Durham and England opening batsman Keaton Jennings has been appointed as the club’s Royal London One-Day Cup captain for 2017. The England Lions skipper will lead Durham for the duration of the 50-over competition, which begins against Derbyshire at Emirates Riverside on Thursday, April 27
Having captained in the same format last year in the absence of Paul Collingwood, Jennings will now take on the role permanently as the side aim to reach the Lord’s final on Saturday, 1 July.
All-rounder Paul Coughlin has been appointed as Keaton’s vice-captain while Collingwood will continue as the Specsavers County Championship skipper.
Jennings, the club’s Player of the Year & Players’ Player of the Year, said: “It’s one of those dreams as a young boy, you want to lead your side so it’s an honour to lead Durham this year.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it. The two signings we have made, Lathers [Tom Latham] & Cooky [Stephen Cook] are brilliant for the squad and the guys as well.
“The couple of games I did last year were really good fun and it was a privilege and honour to do it.
“There is a real sense of positivity around at the minute. Hopefully, we can push forward and see how far we can go.”
Head coach Jon Lewis added: “Keaton has developed immensely over the last 12 months, not only as a player but also as a leader in the dressing room, and he has commanded the respect of the dressing room.
“This new role reflects his standing in the side and we are confident he can lead us forward in the 50-over competition.
“He was highly impressive when he stepped into the role last season and has already started to build up experience of handling the responsibilities that come with being a captain.
“Even with possible England commitments, we are likely to see Keaton for the entirety of the tournament and we feel this is another important step forward in his career.”
The 24-year-old successfully deputised during last season’s One-Day Cup win over the Yorkshire Vikings and has since taken on the role with England Lions.
He scored an unbeaten century on captaincy debut for the Lions, which was also his competitive debut, before joining up with the senior side in India, where he made a magnificent Test century in his first innings.
Jennings will again lead the Lions for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka while also captaining the North side in the inaugural North vs South series, which takes place in the UAE in March.