Hughes turns down Durham approach

By Tim Wellock

Australian opening batsman Phil Hughes has turned down an approach from Durham for the second time in four years. The 24-year-old left-hander was top of Durham’s list of targets in their search for a top-order overseas batsman, but after drawing a blank they have called a halt.

Durham chief executive David Harker said: “We see the key challenge for the club as being to replace Michael Di Venuto's runs. In the latter part of the season and in the early close season we have made great efforts to recruit someone with proven quality.

“Unfortunately none of our leading targets has been prepared to commit. So we have taken the decision not to invest funds in any player who is either unproven or cannot guarantee his availability. We want to plan on working with what we have.”

Durham will start next season on minus 2.5 points and have also been fined after they owned up to exceeding the ECB salary cap.

Despite shedding Di Venuto and Liam Plunkett from the wage bill, there are still concerns and Harker added: “We have to work within the confines of the salary cap and our experience last season demonstrates that we have to work with sufficient headroom to allow for the uncertainty of England call-ups.

“Also, as young players continue to develop and earn their rewards, it is a challenge to recruit new players without releasing others to whom we may have a contractual commitment.” That could be taken as a reference to Ian Blackwell and Steve Harmison, neither of whom featured much for Durham last season but are contracted for another year on high salaries.

Harker added: “The overall financial position of the club hasn't significantly worsened but it has not been helped by last season's weather and the ongoing recession. We will keep an eye on the market and if a player of the right quality became available I am sure we would do our best to make that work if at all possible.”

Durham approached Hughes before the 2009 season but he opted for Middlesex instead and totalled 574 runs in five County Championship innings before joining the Australian squad for the Ashes tour.

He has been unable to establish himself in the Test side, but last season he played for Worcestershire and scored 87 out of 205 in his side’s first innings against Durham at Worcester, then made a century at the Emirates Durham ICG in August.



Date: 10/12/2012 19:05:38 by Tim Wellock
In: Worcestershire | Today | Durham |