Rhodes monitors Hughes situation

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

Phil Hughes’s recall for Australia’s first Test against Sri Lanka in Hobart this week has left Worcestershire’s plans to re-sign the left-hander up in the air.

Hughes enjoyed a successful stint with Worcestershire last season and he was drafted into the Australia A squad for their final match against England Lions at Edgbaston in August.

Worcestershire’s director of cricket Steve Rhodes flew to Australia last month for preliminary talks with Hughes about a possible return next summer and returned home optimistic that he had got his overseas player sorted out.

But Ricky Ponting’s retirement from international cricket has created a gap in Australia’s top order and Hughes has been recalled after a year out of Test cricket to bat at number three against Sri Lanka this week.

“We are monitoring the situation to see how he gets on,” Rhodes said. “If he does well this winter then he’s obviously got a chance to get involved in next summer’s Ashes. If that happens then it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that he will only be available to play county cricket for a limited period.

“When I went to Australia Phil was very keen to come back here but we needed to find out exactly what his availability was going to be. We are delighted for him that he has got back into the Test team because he has worked very hard over the last year to get that chance.

“We gave him a vehicle to help get back into the Test team, but he is the one that went out there and did so well. It’s down to his hard work at the end of the day.”


Date: 12/12/2012 11:32:07 by Paul Bolton
In: Worcestershire | Today |