Warwickshire sign Chris Rushworth after shock Durham departure

Rushworth's exit from his home county - for personal reasons - was announced at the end of last week

Durham legend Chris Rushworth has joined Warwickshire after leaving his home county for personal reasons.

Rushworth's shock departure was announced last week, with the 36-year-old agreeing a two-year deal – with the option for a third – at Edgbaston.

The seamer, widely considered one of the finest English bowlers not to have received a Test cap this century, took his 600th first-class wicket in 2022.

"My decision to leave Durham was far from easy, made after lengthy consideration," said Rushworth upon the revelation of his exit. "But I have to state, that this decision has been made for personal reasons alone and not cricketing reasons. For that reason, I give a heartfelt thank you to Tim (Bostock), Marcus (North) and the club for allowing me to leave.

"Durham is, and has always been my club, and that will continue to be the case in the future. I've been incredibly lucky and I'm very proud to have been able to represent the club for so long, and the memories I've made playing for Durham will last forever."

The seamer, who was initially released by Durham in 2006 before returning after holding a number of jobs and impressing in club cricket, took 815 wickets across all formats for the club.

He usurped Graham Onions as the top wicket-taker for Durham in first-class cricket when he had Jack Haynes caught at slip in 2021, eight years after playing a key role in the County Championship title win of 2013 – the most recent of Durham's three crowns. More importantly, though, he remained with the county through their toughest times in the years after financial issues led to relegation from Division One and an exodus of senior players.

^{Rushworth took 815 wickets for Durham across all formats (Stu Forster/Getty Images)}

He took 34 wickets this summer, with his season curtailed by an injury that meant his final appearance for the club came at the start of September.

"I'm delighted Rushy has chosen us to join us," said Mark Robinson, Warwickshire's head coach. "He's keen to make a fresh start, hungry to succeed and will give us some real quality and obvious experience which at times we lacked last year.

"With the injuries we had last season our depth of bowling couldn't cope so it's important we are able to add some more quality and deepen our resources.

"He's a wicket-taker, make no mistake. He has 603 first class wickets to his name and he has told me he wants to come because he wants to win another County Championship before he retires which is exactly the language you want to hear."

Warwickshire's seam-bowling resources were decimated in 2022, a year after winning the County Championship, with Liam Norwell and Craig Miles playing just 11 times between them, while Tim Bresnan retired from cricket ahead of the season. Warwickshire have lost their bowling coach, Matt Mason, since the end of the summer – he has taken up the equivalent post with England Women – but Rushworth is not the first piece of winter recruitment already completed. Ed Barnard and Moeen Ali have both made the short journey from Worcestershire to join Robinson's squad.

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