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Essex snap up Willoughby

Image: Charl Willoughby: Swapped Somerset for Essex

Former Somerset seamer Charl Willoughby has joined Essex on a two-year contract.

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South African left-armer swaps Somerset for Essex

Former Somerset seamer Charl Willoughby has joined Essex on a two-year contract. The South African left-armer has been a key player for Somerset in recent seasons, helping the Cidermen establish themselves as a force in all three formats of the game under Marcus Trescothick. Now 36, he was released at the end of last season following six impressive years at Taunton. He told www.essexcricket.org: "Essex made a concerted effort to come and meet me. Head coach Paul Grayson and myself had a long discussion and we discussed my aims and that of Essex. The plan now is for these to come to fruition.

Delighted

"I obviously have a lot of experience in the game and Paul Grayson wants a wise old head to help David Masters with the bowling attack. "Essex have some promising youngsters coming through the ranks and I can certainly pass on some of my knowledge as a left-armer. "The club is hoping to gain promotion to Division One and succeed in one-day cricket. We hope together as a team that we can achieve these goals." Grayson said: "I'm delighted with the signing of Charl. He is a very experienced bowler and someone we wanted to add to our ranks alongside David Masters and Graham Napier. "He is a quality left-arm bowler and we see him also helping Reece Topley and Tymal Mills in their development with his experience and knowledge of the game. "He is a big signing for us because when it was announced that he was leaving Somerset there were four or five other counties who came in to try and sign him."

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