Zak Chappell pens Derbyshire contract extension following impressive debut campaign

WILLIAM COMISH: Last season, the fast bowler, who joined the county at the end of 2022, took 24 wickets at 36.2 in 10 first-class outings and a record-breaking 26 wickets in 14 T20 Blast appearances

Zak Chappell has extended his stay at Derbyshire for a further two years, committing his future to the club until 2026.

The fast bowler moved to Derbyshire from Nottinghamshire at the end of 2022. He previously represented Leicestershire between 2015 and 2018 and has also spent time on loan at Gloucestershire.

The 27-year-old had a standout debut campaign at the Incora County Ground, breaking the club record for T20 wickets in a single season. He took 26 wickets with an economy of 9.34 in 14 T20 Blast appearances.

He picked up a further 24 wickets at 36.2 in the 10 County Championship outings - second only to Sam Conners - and also proved a handy source of lower order runs, scoring 220 runs at 24.44 at No.9.

^{Chappell joined Derbyshire ahead of the 2023 season after previously representing Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Gloucestershire [Dan Mullan/Getty Images]}

On signing his new contract, Chappell said: "It's been my focus to stay here and move the club forward with the rest of the squad.

"We've got a good crop of players, with those signed over the winter and I'm really looking forward to the start of the season.

"I'm happy with how my first season went, but there's a lot of areas I can improve in. We need to win more games of cricket, ultimately, and I want to contribute to that."

Head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, added: "Zak is a quality bowler and his numbers in 2023, particularly in the Vitality Blast, showed the level of talent he has.

"This is another step in the right direction, as we shape our squad for 2024 and beyond. Zak is a key player and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can produce over the next three seasons."

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