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