Lancashire have appointed Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace as their new director of cricket, weeks before he was due to assume the same role at Hove.

Sussex confirmed in July that Farbrace, 59, would switch roles from head coach to director of cricket from November, where he would work on a part-time basis.

But he now departs to take over from Mark Chilton, who left the post at Old Trafford last month after five years in the job.

Lancashire finished the season seventh in Division Two of the County Championship, the lowest position in the club’s history.

Meanwhile, Farbrace helped guide Sussex to third place in Division One, despite beginning the season with a 12-point penalty.