Sussex have signed Kent all-rounder Joey Evison on a three-year, all-format contract, with the 24-year-old set to move south at the end of the 2026 season. BBC Sport

The deal reunites Evison with Matt Walker, his former coach at Kent, who takes charge at Sussex next season. Current Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace will step up to a director of cricket role as part of the same reshuffle.

Evison told Sussex's website: "After four good years with Kent, I'm really looking forward to joining up with Sussex." He added: "I really enjoy playing there and I can't wait to work with Matt Walker again." BBC Sport

In 57 first-class matches — the multi-day red-ball format that forms the backbone of the county game — Evison has scored 2,561 runs and taken 92 wickets. He was part of the Kent side that won the One-Day Cup in 2022, the 50-over knockout competition that opens the domestic season's limited-overs calendar. BBC Sport

Sussex supporters may already have a vivid memory of him. Last season, in the T20 Blast — England's short-format, franchise-style county competition — Evison scored the winning runs against Sussex at Hove, finishing unbeaten on 48 from 24 balls to send Kent into the knockout stages. Now he will play those innings for the home side. BBC Sport

Farbrace, who has tracked Evison for some time, was effusive about the signing. "Joey is someone I've followed for a while and this is the perfect time for us to bring him into the club," he said. He described Evison as "a talented all-round cricketer and will make an impact in all forms of the game" who "has a real desire to want to improve and work hard to be the best he can be." Sussex Cricket

An all-rounder — a player who contributes with both bat and ball — is a valuable commodity in county cricket, where squads juggle three formats across a long season. Evison's ability to slot into a top-six batting position and chip in with wickets gives Sussex options across the County Championship, the One-Day Cup and the T20 Blast.

The move closes a four-year chapter at Kent, the county Evison joined ahead of the 2023 season on a three-year deal. Kent Cricket Sussex announced the signing on their official website and via their X account, @SussexCCC. Sussex Cricket

For Evison, the pull of a familiar coach and a fresh challenge at a county pushing to compete across formats proved decisive. For Sussex, it is a statement of intent — a proven county all-rounder in his mid-twenties, signed on a long deal, arriving at the same time as a coaching transition designed to take the club forward.