Published: 18/11/2009 23:21:58 | Modified: 18/11/2009 23:31:38
Author: Paul Bolton | All Contributors
Anyon to follow Panesar to Hove?
Warwickshire seamer Jimmy Anyon has emerged as a new target for Sussex, following the club's signing of Monty Panesar.
The 26-year-old former Loughborough UCCE player still has a year remaining on his contract at Edgbaston but has been told by Warwickshire's director of cricket Ashley Giles that he is unlikely to feature in his first team plans next season and so he is free to talk to other counties.
Anyon had a spell on loan at Surrey at the end of last season but has not been offered the chance of a permanent move to the Oval.
But Sussex are now expected to make a formal approach for Anyon having missed out on former Yorkshire and England seamer Matthew Hoggard who opted to join Leicestershire as captain rather than move to Hove.
Sussex are seeking reinforcements for their seam attack following the retirement of veteran left-armer Jason Lewry, and Anyon has bowled well against them on a number of occasions in recent years.
Anyon joined Warwickshire from Loughborough midway through the 2004 season and made his County Championship debut the following year. But he lost ground last year when he had problems with his bowling action on Warwickshire's pre-season tour of South Africa and then suffered niggly injuries which restricted his effectiveness.
Warwickshire are also expected to advertise their vacant post of bowling coach after former England all-rounder Craig White turned down the job.
White has instead opted to stay with Yorkshire as second team coach leaving Warwickshire to start their search for a successor to Allan Donald, who has returned to South Africa, all over again.
Meanwhile, Panesar’s Northamptonshire career has officially ended with the slow left-armer completing the formalities of his move to Sussex.
Panesar has signed a three-year deal, with his move away from Wantage Road looking certain once it became clear that Northants could no longer afford to keep him on the payroll. Until September the ECB were responsible for Panesar’s hefty salary as one of England’s centrally-contracted players.
But when Panesar was not offered a new deal by England, Northamptonshire were left to pick up the tab. His salary, believed to be not far short of six figures, was too much for Northamptonshire to budget for and a parting of the ways became inevitable for a player who lost his England place early in the Ashes series and who struggled to recapture form and confidence in county cricket last season.
Panesar’s move to Hove ends a ten-year association with Northamptonshire for the Luton-born spinner but it leaves former South Africa slow left-armer Nicky Boje as the only senior spinner at Wantage Road.
Fellow left-arm spinner Graeme White departed to Nottinghamshire last month in a surprise move given that it was widely-expected that Panesar would also be leaving the club.