Axed Hoggard rejected new deal, insist Yorkshire chiefs
YORKSHIRE Cricket Club yesterday hit back in their row with bowler Matthew Hoggard, insisting the former England pace man had turned down a lucrative new contract at the start of the season.
Hoggard, 33, publicly expressed his “anger and disappointment” after being released by the county after 15 years for financial reasons.
But the division one side are furious the news was broken through the media and are now saying Hoggard had rejected a new two-year deal at the beginning of the season with the player insisting he wanted a higher salary and a longer contract.
A club statement read: “An extremely competitive two-year contract, with the option of a third year based on performance, was offered to Matthew at the beginning of the season; a deal that would have retained his position as one of the highest earners at the county. Matthew turned that contract offer down as he wanted a higher salary and a longer contract.
“The decision not to award Hoggard a contract had been made in light of a number of factors – the current economic climate, the player’s contractual requirements and a detailed analysis of the make-up of the professional squad for the 2010 season.”
Hoggard has only ever played for Yorkshire and since making his county debut in 1996, he has taken 668 wickets in 195 first-class matches.
His availability is likely to alert a number of rival counties with Hoggard also topping Yorkshire’s wicket-taking charts again this summer with 46 first-class scalps at an average of 32.
Adding to his comments, Hoggard said: “I’m disappointed, gutted, angry – a mixture of thoughts and emotions.”
Hoggard is not the only ex-England man possibly on the look-out for a new county with Monty Panesar also being linked with a move from Northants.
Panesar has already lost his central contract and the county may choose to offload the 39-Test spinner for cost reasons.