Hughes gets Worcestershire boost
Julian Guyer
After Australia opener Phil Hughes's ability was again called into
question following another Test failure against New Zealand,
Worcestershire announced they had signed him for the 2012 English county
season.
Hughes fell early on the fourth day of the second Test in Hobart on
Monday as Australia collapsed to 233 all out, handing the Kiwis a
dramatic seven-run win.
The 23-year-old left-hander was again found out outside off-stump and
was caught in the slips for 20 off seamer Chris Martin's bowling for the
fourth straight innings.
Pressure
His poor form - Hughes scored 41 in four innings against New Zealand
- will intensify pressure on his spot ahead of the Test series with
India, which starts at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day.
But Worcestershire hope Hughes, a prolific scorer with county rivals
Middlesex two years ago, can carry on from where he left off when he
returns to English domestic cricket.
Although the county season starts in April, Hughes is not due at New
Road until the first week of June but Worcestershire then expect him to
stay until the campaign finishes in September.
Career
"Phil is a heavy run scorer with a career ratio of a century every
four games in first-class cricket," said First Division side
Worcestershire's director of cricket Steve Rhodes.
"In 2009 he amassed 574 first class runs in three games for Middlesex
including three centuries which demonstrates his hunger for run scoring.
"I look forward to working closely with Phil during the second half
of the season," the former England wicket-keeper added.
Hughes, in a Worcestershire statement, said: "I'm absolutely thrilled
to be heading back to England in 2012. "Worcestershire is a quality
organisation and I can't wait to meet my new teammates and re-acquaint
myself with English conditions.
Expectations
"My previous stint in England helped my batting enormously and I have
high expectations that spending the 2012 Australian winter in the UK
will do the same.
"I look forward to helping Worcestershire be a force in all forms of
the game in 2012." But while Hughes is excited by another English county
stint, Test captain Michael Clarke hinted at a more unwelcome return to
action with his home state of New South Wales if Australia's selectors
drop him for the India opener.
"He's obviously really disappointed like all the batters are for the
way we played today, but Hughesy is probably most disappointed he's been
getting out the same way," Clarke said.
"He needs to find some runs, it's as simple as that. If he's not
making them for Australia, he's going to have to go to back to New South
Wales and find them there." AFP
|