The county merry-go-round

By Oliver Brett

Two years ago, Alex Tudor was all set for an England Ashes tour

As county cricket enters hibernation time, chief executives up and down the land are wondering whether they can afford to indulge in some new players.

Leaving aside the issue of star overseas players, there is plenty of interest too in a number of notable English pros who have become available.

If things had worked out differently, Chris Schofield and Alex Tudor might have been firmly established in the England side by now.

Turn the clock back five years and Lancashire leg-spinner Schofield had just been included in the first batch of central contracts.

Tudor, meanwhile, had hit a sparkling 99 against New Zealand the previous summer and seemed destined to gain a permanent spot as a paceman.

Now, the wheel of fate sees both men hunting around for a new employer.

Schofield has been linked to Sussex, where one of the finest leg-spinners in the game, Mushtaq Ahmed, is firmly in residence.

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And director of cricket Peter Moores already knows something about Schofield from an England A tour to the West Indies in which both were involved.

Tudor, whose fitness is an almost constant issue, will have to produce some optimistic doctor's reports to convince any future county.

But if there is a natural route to go, the other London club Middlesex do require a seam bowler with Simon Cook having moved to Kent.

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Another fast bowler who has impressed in the past is flame-haired Steve Kirby, a former member of the England Acxademy squad who was freed from his contract by Yorkshire.

He was originally signed out of the Leicestershire leagues, and if he is bent on a move back to the east Midlands then Nottinghamshire is a possible port of call.

There, he could team up with another former Tyke, Ryan Sidebottom, but the Division Two champions already have a strong seam-bowling department already.

Over at Essex, middle-order batsman Aftab Habib has been released.

He originally moved down from Leicestershire in a bid to rekindle his England ambitions, but failed to reach his potential in three seasons.

Speculation as to where he is destined is limited, to put it mildly.

If, however, Leicestershire seek a suitable replacement for another experienced batsman in the shape of Darren Stevens, then it is just possible Habib could return to Grace Road.

All of which leaves the question of where Stevens himself might venture, or are his days numbered at the age of 28 and with an overall record that is hardly inspiring?

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Finally, there is the category of players still waiting to put pen to paper on new contracts.

Kevin Pietersen, set to play for England in Zimbabwe, agonised last year about continuing his affiliation with Nottinghamshire.

And even though the club are back in Division One of the Championship, he is not yet a confirmed starter for 2005 with Surrey and Kent possible suitors.

James Hildreth, meanwhile, is seen as one of the best young batsmen in the country.

He is mulling over a new three-year contract at Somerset and may feel he can be part of a more competitive outfit.

Watch this space for news.