Cricket: Caffyn quits as chairman of Sussex

Sussex's chairman, Alan Caffyn, resigned last night and stood down from the committee following intense criticism of his handling of the exodus of high-profile players from Hove.

Caffyn's seven-year reign came under scrutiny after he blamed the former captain, Alan Wells, for the departures of Ian Salisbury, Danny Law and Martin Speight among five capped players Sussex have lost.

Sussex have appointed their long-serving committee member, Ken Hopkins, as chairman in succession to Caffyn, who was president from 1984 to 1988 and has been a member for 32 years. Caffyn's resignation reduces the number of committee members to six after Richard Barrow resigned on Tuesday.

Tony Pigott, the former fast bowler, has launched a bid to oust the committee. He resigned as assistant coach and second XI captain at Surrey to concentrate on winning a place on the Sussex committee. He said there will be a vote of no confidence at a special general meeting at Hove on 8 April and a call for the committee to resign.