County Transfers

First topic message reminder :

Not a huge "transfer" market in cricket, but may be interesting to keep track of any movements - including retirements.


Confirmed

David Willey from Northants to Yorks
Paul Horton leaves Lancashire
Chris Tremlett retiring
Reece Topley from Essex to Hampshire
Paul Grayson leaving Coaching position at Essex


Rumoured
Mark Footitt leaving Derbyshire

Paul Coughlin joining Notts from next season, and seems Keaton Jennings has been offered the captaincy at notts to leave durham

Michael Carberry to join Leicestershire on a 2 year deal. Sad to see him go but can understand the decision. Top bloke and i wish him all the best

Graham Onions will leave Durham at the end of the season. He wanted a two year contract, Durham only offered him a one year deal.

Would be a good experienced pickup for any county side

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Graham Onions will leave Durham at the end of the season. He wanted a two year contract, Durham only offered him a one year deal.

Would be a good experienced pickup for any county side

How fit is he though? It's that question which will probably hold back too many two year deals immediately being offered.

Ryan Higgins to Gloucestershire is a tidy pickup

Keaton Jennings to Lancs confirmed too

Azharaullah has left Northants...suprising IMO

Hearing Somerset are going to get Kane Williamson as their overseas next year with Andre Russell for the T20’s

Would be two quality signings

Shaun Marsh has signed for 2 seasons for Glamorgan as overseas in all formats

Shiv Thakor has had his contract with Derbyshire terminated with immediate effect

James Faulkner has been signed by Lancashire as their overseas for the 2018 season

From what I understand, Chadd Sayers will be joining Gillespie at Sussex this year. He will take stacks of wickets in the CC.

Hampshire to announce signing of Sam Northeast tomorrow.

Quality signing for us.

Seems likely Morne Morkel will be going Kolpak after retiring from Tests - he's retiring in April, does anyone know whether that would make him available for Kolpak this season or if he'll have to wait until next? Cricinfo has Surrey as favourites to sign him if he does go the Kolpak route.

Hi James - I'm no expert on the Kolpak ruling but I think Morkel would be available to play county cricket immediately upon retiring from Tests.

It could probably be argued that otherwise it would be a restraint of trade. That said, the whole Kolpak thing seems to have taken upon a life of its own. I'm pretty sure the original idea behind this European judgement was to support the jobbing sportsman rather than ease the way to a lucrative overseas contract for someone still playing and being paid at international level.

For completeness and fairness, only right to mention that this topic was discussed at a Surrey members' forum a few months ago with Alec Stewart and Richard Gould (Chief Executive) when there were first rumours of both Morkel and Amla becoming Kolpaks and being approached by Surrey. I made the point that we (Surrey) shouldn't entice current Test players to become Kolpaks (as that would inevitably lessen the quality of Test cricket) but we should jostle to get to the front of the queue if they made the choice of their own volition. I acknowledged then - as I still do - that it could be a fine line in a player independently making such a decision if it is clear that he would be in demand. Stewie appeared to go along with that although he spent more time dismissing the rumour about Amla. Meanwhile, Gould put blame on the South African Cricket Federation for poor financial management and not properly rewarding their players.

I know it is probably not high on Theresa May’s list of priorities, but what will the Kolpak situation be come 2019 if, as is looking likely, the UK cuts all ties with the EU?

Not sure JDizzle - but on Guildford's post, I would agree with Gould's comments on SA Cricket not rewarding their players enough - seems to be a major problem over there, and the dwindling attendances dont help either

The SA players have already said that they are considring coming over to UK before we formally leave the EU, as the laws will change and no longer be in their favour after the leave date

Mohammed Nabi has signed for Lecistershire for the t20 blast

Ryan Sidebottom joins Surrey as a bowling consultant for the first half of the new season.

LondonTiger wrote:Ryan Sidebottom joins Surrey as a bowling consultant for the first half of the new season.

Yeah, I didn't see that coming. The appointment for half the season seems a bit odd, particularly coming after the appointment of veteran Geoff Arnold as bowling coach.

PS Tiger - I was saddened to read of the death of Dave Callaghan, BBC local radio reporter for Yorkshire's games. A top bloke with a real love and understanding of our game. If you are able to supply a tribute of any sort, it would be appreciated by me and I'm sure a few others here. Cheers.

Cally was truly the voice of Yorkshire cricket. I only came into contact with him personally in his role of Quizmaster before the Scarborough Festival games, but certainly listened to him whenever I could.

People I know and respect would talk about how much he would do behind the scenes for up and coming cricketers - helping arrange winter scholarships and the like. He was a big supporter of the Headingley Book Stall that raises money for the academy lads (sadly Geoff who along with Vivian had run that for decades died this winter).

For me though I will remember his warmth on the radio. He loved commentating on Yorkshire and never seemed to aspire to anything else. He seemed on to have a good rapport with all the visiting commentators. As you might expect he seemed to save his best repartee for Mark Church's visits up from "the big smoke" with Surrey. Cally while probably not quite old enough to remember the great Yorkshire/Surrey rivalries was certainly brought up listening about them.

Thanks, Tiger. Your reference to Cally's ''warmth on the radio'' is absolutely spot on.

He definitely always seemed to have a very good rapport with Mark Church. I posted this memory on the White Rose forum earlier in the week to emphasise that there were no county barriers to the sadness at Cally's early death.

A few seasons back, Churchy and Cally were commentating together on a Championship match from the Oval. The Surrey man gave out an incorrect email address for the Yorks commentator and a few moments later when realising his error apologised profusely. Cally, as humble and modest as ever, replied along the lines: ''Don't worry about it, Churchy. Listeners only contact me when they're at work. Today's a Saturday. No-one's going to waste their weekend emailing me!''