Pace bowler Gemaal Hussain has parted company with Gloucestershire in order to further his career in Division One.
Nottinghamshire distance themselves from available seamer
Pace bowler Gemaal Hussain has parted company with Gloucestershire in an attempt to further his career in Division One of the LV= County Championship.
The seamer had been offered a new contract at Bristol following a breakthrough season that saw him finish as the leading wicket-taker in Division Two, with 67 wickets at an average of 22.
However, he has now confirmed his intention to move on and is weighing up offers from a number of counties.
Hussain told
ecb.co.uk: "It was a difficult decision. It was my first county so I did make a lot of friends and had good relationships there.
"While I was at Gloucestershire I was able to develop quite a lot, so I felt I had quite an emotional bond with the club as well. I'm really grateful for the steps they have enabled me to make.
"But I had to look at things from an ambitious view. Playing in Division One will be a challenge for me and I believe that every challenge is an opportunity so if I can do well it will help take my cricket further."
Negotiations
Hussain insists he has yet to decide where he will be playing his cricket in 2011.
A host of clubs have been linked with the 27-year-old, although county champions Nottinghamshire have ruled themselves out of the running for his signature.
"I'm currently talking to a few counties. I have made the decision to leave Gloucestershire and now the next decision is where I think is the best place for me to play," he added.
"I need to consider what I can offer to that county and what they can offer to me.
"I have spoken to quite a few clubs, there are three or four in Division One that I am speaking to at the moment, but I would rather not say who they are as I am still in negotiations with them."
Gloucestershire chief executive Tom Richardson expressed his disappointment at Hussain's decision to leave and believes the paceman could still have achieved his ambition of playing for England if he had remained with the club.
Richardson told the
club's website: "We had long discussions with him because we do not agree that playing in Division One is essential to international selection.
"It will be interesting to see whether he is picked for the England Lions trip to West Indies during the winter because if he is it will be solely through his performances for Gloucestershire.
"We are particularly sad to see him go because of the time and effort our coaching staff have put into improving him as a player. But we understand his ambition and wish him nothing but the best in his future career."
