Nottinghamshire have signed Sussex wicketkeeper-batsman John Simpson.
The deal runs for two years and covers both the County Championship and the One-Day Cup. It is a straightforward addition, but an important one.
The John Simpson Nottinghamshire contract gives Peter Moores a settled option behind the stumps heading into next season.
Simpson is 38. He arrives at Trent Bridge after the loss of Kyle Verreynne, who left after three years that included the 2025 County Championship title.
Verreynne’s exit followed a call-up from Cricket South Africa in September. That call-up prompted Nottinghamshire to sign Mitchell Hay on a short-term deal while they searched for a longer-term answer.
Nottinghamshire Secure Wicketkeeper John Simpson on Two-Year Contract
News of the signing was confirmed by Nottinghamshire and first carried by the BBC Sport report.
Simpson brings 17 years of experience in the professional game. He won the Division One title with Middlesex in 2016.
He moved to Sussex in 2024. At Hove, he captained the side to promotion from Division Two and to T20 Blast Finals Day in his first season.
Simpson scored 581 Championship runs in 2026 as Sussex finished third in the table, one place above Nottinghamshire. He also won three One-Day International caps for England in 2021.
Official Details and Sourcing Behind Simpson’s Trent Bridge Move
Reflecting on his time at Sussex, Simpson called it “some of the most enjoyable and rewarding of my career.”
He said he feels “excited” about the move. He is ready, he added, for a “new challenge” in Nottinghamshire colours.
Moores had his own verdict. He described his new signing as “a quality” player with “a proven track record” in county cricket.
Tactical Impact and Overseas Slot Flexibility for Peter Moores
Moores did not hide from the difficulty of losing Verreynne. “It’s a double-edged sword because we’ve loved having Kyle, and he’s been fantastic for us,” he said.
Even so, the head coach sees a squad-planning benefit that stretches beyond the gloves.
“The big difference by having John to play the same role is the flexibility it will give us with our second overseas spot moving forward,” Moores said.
With a specialist domestic keeper in place, Nottinghamshire no longer need an overseas player for that role. That frees them to strengthen elsewhere as they plan Nottinghamshire’s County Championship campaign.
Sussex director of cricket Paul Farbrace also weighed in. He praised the value of “some gnarled old pros” in a developing squad, a fair summary of the experience Simpson now takes to Trent Bridge.
