Ward quits

[bhafc99]

Former England batsman Ian Ward has announced his retirement to take up a full-time broadcasting career.

Ward, 33, was only half-way through a four-year contract with Sussex, who he joined after 12 years with Surrey, but struggled with injury in 2005.

"I know I'll miss it when the new season starts, especially the camaraderie," he said.

"Television provides its own challenges and I am looking forward to developing my career in a different direction."

Ward opened the batting in five Tests, including three Ashes clashes, in 2001, hitting 129 runs.

His first-class career brought 8575 runs at an average of 40.25 and he was part of ther Surrey side that won the County Championship three times between 1999 and 2002.

 

[CHAPPERS]

He was losing it anyway, can't say I'm too gutted that he's left. We do need some players for next season though. If Prior, Rana and Mushy are playing international cricket, Kirtley is under scrutiny again and Lewry will only get half a season before brealing down. Well, we could be quite short.

 

[cardboard]

SCCC Ian Ward retires

According to BBC
Ian Ward is to retire

Always seemed that he prefered to work for Sky

Good player though

 

[cardboard]

Fixtures

 

[Pevenseagull]

He was losing it anyway, can't say I'm too gutted that he's left. We do need some players for next season though. If Prior, Rana and Mushy are playing international cricket, Kirtley is under scrutiny again and Lewry will only get half a season before brealing down. Well, we could be quite short.

adding of course no Ambrose, no hard hitting MD

and a small squad to start with

interesting times

 

[Leekbrookgull]

I would like to know,if he had decided to quit himself,before Sussex let Ambrose sign for Wawickshire?

 

[Pevenseagull]

Good news on Kirtley is that he is only banned from international and competitive county cricket - so he'll still be available for the Kent games

 

[Moshe Gariani]

good riddance to the Skyman... he wasn't good for team spirit (along with Mo Akram) and we're better off without him... opportunity knocks for the likes of Turkish, Hoppo, Nashy and Sean Heather...

interesting times indeed... would have been very easy to predict a post-Mooresy lull in any case but I actually think Robbo is well up for it and has the support of the dressing room... we really need at least one good transfer-in to balance things up a bit though...

 

[Moshe Gariani]

from the SCCC board...

"Robbo is posting a press release re a Ward replacement later this afternoon. It will also appear on the website. You might be surprised.

Fran"


intriguing....!!!

 

[Pevenseagull]

from the SCCC board...

"Robbo is posting a press release re a Ward replacement later this afternoon. It will also appear on the website. You might be surprised.

Fran"


intriguing....!!!

announcement due at half past two

 

[CHAPPERS]

Oooooooooooooooh! EXCITED!

Is it Chris Gayle?

 

[Storer68]

oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh yes please. except next year he'll be in the windies test squad and so unavailable for most of the season

 

[CHAPPERS]

And we've already got two overseas players signed.

 

[Pevenseagull]

hoping for a decent young English opener, e.g. Kadeer Ali

that'd help the Monday blues

 

[Moshe Gariani]

announcement due at half past two

you should have started a new thread with that title...!!!

my own expectations are not too high - but a transfer-in of any sort should be good news....

 

[Pevenseagull]

sneaked in as an announcement made on the 24th of September - cheeky monkeys

Mark Robinson, Professional Cricket Manager, is keen to emphasise that the Club has no need to look anywhere but from within its own ranks for a replacement for Ian Ward.

“Before speculation starts regarding possible new signings to replace Ian Ward I would like to state from the very start that the cricket management of SCCC are highly confident of being able to fill the void with one of our own young players.

“This statement is to prove to the young batsmen at the Club that I have every faith and confidence in their ability to take up the challenge to prove themselves at this level. I am also looking to take away any unsettling speculation about potential new batting signings after the recent departures of Tim Ambrose and Ian Ward.

“Both Tim and Ian kept the Club fully informed of their situations and the likely consequences of their decisions. Therefore plans had already been put in place to offset the loss of these players. In the case of Tim we made him aware that there was a possibility that Ian would not be with us next year and a batting spot might be available. I would like to reiterate that Tim has left the Club for the one thing that we couldn’t give him exclusively - the gloves.

“Having previously spoken to Chris Adams, the Captain, about the possible loss of Ian Ward we are both in agreement that we see it as a perfect opportunity to bring through another youngster. We could already field five capped players in the top six of our batting line-up so it is perhaps a good time to blood another young player from the successful Second team. It would also ensure greater flexibility to cope with the potential loss of Rana Naved in June because of his International duties.

“Like most plans these could be subject to re-evaluation but we are keen to keep promoting our Sussex trained players and Tim and Ian leaving us gives us another great opportunity to do this.”

 

[CHAPPERS]

Hmmmmmmmmmm........

 

[Pevenseagull]

need a Yardy-esque breakthrough from at least two of the youngsters


is there a smaller pro squad in the country?

I very much doubt it

 

[CHAPPERS]

I don't understand, I thought we had cash to splash?

We need at least one more bowler.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Ward leaving must be saving us a mint millions of inheritance and we're relying on the likes of Hopkinson to come good


dangerous times