English County Cricket Season 2011: Who is in? Who is out? – (Part III)
Contd.....
Now coming towards the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Will-Gidman-c2793 of Durham has signed a two-year contract with
the club.
Both Ireland and Porterfield announced their decision of leaving the club yesterday while Kirby had earlier asked the county to release him from the Bristol contract as he wanted to pursue Division One game in the upcoming season.
Anthony Ireland, who stunned the county club fans by picking up 36 wickets at an average of 21.77 in Division Two this season, is moving to Middlesex while the skipper of Ireland cricket team, William Porterfield, who logged 531 runs
at an impressive average of 37.92, is heading to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Surrey-c851.
The departure of these key players would further complicate Gloucestershire’s problems after the county failed to make it to the Division One for the next season. The fast bowler, Steve Kirby has already signed a three-year contract
with Somerset CCC while http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Gemaal-Hussain-c1479, who topped the wickets chart of Division Two this season with 63 scalps, has also declined an offer to sign a new contract with the turbulent Gloucestershire as the bowler has attracted interest from a number of Division
One counties.
Gloucestershire CCC is currently facing its worst phase of the decade and for the first time in its history the club fears the loss of its status as a venue for international cricket. So, they are presently utilizing a major part of
their financial resources for the development of County Ground rather than their players.
Porterfield and Ireland’s decision appears to be a windfall for the London clubs, Surrey and Middlesex, who both struggled in the Championship during the recently concluded 2010 season. Porterfield's presence would surely strengthen
the inexperienced batting line-up of Surrey which looked prone to collapse all through the season while Ireland's move to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Middlesex-c817 would reinforce an attack that lost Steven Finn.
Meanwhile, the 32-year-old Kirby, after having played six seasons for Gloucestershire CCC, now wants to make a final push for the international honors. "I've got three or four years left in my career and I would love to achieve my
dream of playing for England," he said. Soon after getting the release orders from Gloucestershire’s management, Kirby was signed by Somerset. Brian Rose, the Somerset Director of Cricket said in a radio interview that as soon as the club came to know about
Kirby’s intentions of leaving Gloucestershire, the club approached the pace man and in no time both the parties reached an agreement.
"Steve has the sort of aggression which helps a lot when you are bowling at nine, ten and jack," http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rose-c86842 argued. So far, only Will Gidman has opted to leave his previous county club in favor of Gloucestershire. Will signed a two-year
contract with the county after leaving http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alex-Gidman-c984 is already playing for Gloucestershire.
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