Plunkett aims to relaunch England career at Yorks

By Graham Hardcastle

Liam Plunkett is aiming to rekindle his England career after signing a three-year contract with Yorkshire. The 27-year-old joins fellow fast bowler Jack Brooks as a new recruit at Headingley, and will link up again with his former Durham coach Martyn Moxon.

Yorkshire have been keen to strengthen their pace bowling stocks for the last two or three years, and now that process looks to be complete with Plunkett and Brooks joining Ryan Sidebottom, Steve Patterson and Moin Ashraf in the clamour for a first-team place.

Plunkett even believes his new county have the best bowling attack in English domestic cricket. "I am delighted to be joining Yorkshire for next season," said the Middlesbrough-born player. "I felt the time was right for a new challenge in my career, and the opportunity to join one of the biggest clubs in the country was too good to turn down.

"Martyn Moxon was head coach at Durham when I made my debut for the county, and also when I made my England debut. The opportunity to work under him again, and also under Jason Gillespie, is very exciting.

"The club has had a strong 2012, and I believe adding myself and Jack Brooks to the current squad will give us the best bowling attack in the country and help propel us towards silverware in 2013."

Plunkett has taken 321 wickets and scored 2,645 runs from 107 first-class matches, including eight five-wicket hauls and one hundred. He has also taken 139 wickets and scored 945 runs in 118 List A matches and taken 45 wickets and scored 345 runs in 63 Twenty20 appearances.

He only played 15 times in all forms of first-team cricket for Durham in 2012, including once in the Championship. Of his 31 appearances for England, nine have come in Test cricket. His last international outing came in a one-day match against Australia at the WACA in Perth in early 2011.

"I have been fortunate enough to represent my country as recently as last year, and there is no doubt I want to pull on an England shirt again," he added. "I strongly believe I have what it takes to play at the highest level again, and I feel Yorkshire is the best environment to help me achieve this."

Yorkshire's director of professional cricket Moxon added: "I know Liam well from my time in Durham. A wholehearted cricketer with considerable talent, he brings experience and quality to the Yorkshire side as we head back to the first division of the LV= County Championship.

"He has what it takes to regain a place in the England side. He is still only 27, and I'm sure Yorkshire can further assist his development and help him achieve his ambitions within the game. I look forward to working with him again."





Date: 02/10/2012 15:43:00 by Graham Hardcastle
In: Yorkshire | Today | Durham |