Yorkshire issue 'hands-off' warning on Anthony McGrath by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter

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Player:

A McGrath

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DateLine: 11th February 2007

 

Yorkshire told their fellow English counties they would be breaking the rules if they made an approach for their want-away former England batsman Anthony McGrath. McGrath is maintaining, through his agents athletes1, that he is free to speak to other teams. But as far as the Headingley-based county is concerned, the 31-year-old has three years left on his Yorkshire contract and that means he won't be playing for a rival English side. "The club disagrees with the position taken by athletes1. We regard Anthony McGrath as being under contract," Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan said here Friday. "He is not able to simply terminate his contract and walk away. We have notified other clubs of this by letter." Legal action to decide McGrath's future now seems increasingly likely and, in any event, time is running out if the player, who has been said to believe that a move away from Headingley would revive his England career, is to appear for anyone during the 2007 English season. However, in a statement Friday, athletes1 insisted that, whatever else happened, this season would not see McGrath playing for Yorkshire. "It was reported last Friday that Yorkshire CCC is still hopeful that Anthony McGrath will play for the club during the 2007 season," said the statement. "McGrath will not be playing for Yorkshire CCC during the 2007 season. His contract with Yorkshire has come to an end. This has been communicated unequivocally to the club in no uncertain terms by McGrath's solicitors."