Gosh.... didn't see that coming

Worcestershire Royals have signed 20 year old Australian all rounder Steve Smith to a Friends Provident t20 contract for the 2010 season subject to the usual clearances from Cricket Australia. The right hand bat and leg spin bowler really made a breakthrough during the New South Wales Blues title winning ICC Champions League Trophy campaign in 2009. He has followed this up with an excellent domestic Big Bash season culminating in selection for the Australian T20 team that played Pakistan last Friday.
Director of Cricket, Steve Rhodes, says: "I have been watching Steve's progress over the last year and I have spoken to Phil Jaques about him and there is no doubt he is a highly talented young player who has already proved he can perform on the big occasion. We are determined to improve our Twenty20 performances this year and we are allowed two overseas players in this competition. We will be a young squad and I know Steve will fit in with what we want to achieve. His is a very exciting signing."

Good and solid stuff- just hand out the praise to all concerned!

That is a surprise, but a good one. So we have a leggie and a SLA with Shakib - will they both play in T20 ? Can't remember when Shakib joins us.

Quite an exciting young side coming together here. Probably won't win anything but we're building a nice squad for the future. All we need is a left-arm quickie.

2 OPs allowed for 2020 , so both the Aussies.

My request for a leg spinner has been granted. The 2020 contract for Smith is , perhaps , a dress rehearsal for a permanent contract in the future .
I would like to think that all three OP signings are not only imaginative but have , hopefully , not cost a small fortune .

excellent news - well done Bumpy.

Another imaginative signing by the management. Praise where praise is due.

Are you sure you are feeling ok, Hotels? I know a bug is doing the rounds.

I think GAH was signed as an OSP at age 19 (1985) so this signing would I think be our second youngest ever overseas signing

1. We must have done reasonably well out of the Kabby compo to stretch the budget this far?
2. We are really going for the T20? - even though the Champions League rescheduling now clashes

Just a thought. Are there any players left in our squad who are unhappy with the club and it's facilities ?

Don't tempt fate, Serchers!

.....and did you note that the press release said Smith will play for Worcestershire Royals next season?

In IPL 3 News Smith is confirmed as a Royal Challengers Bangalore squad member - Wayne Parnell just pips him by a few weeks to be the youngest foreign import. Will be interesting to see how many games he gets with Kallis and Cameron White in the squad.

He has batted at 3 for the Blues in the Big Bash making way for Phil Jaques and dropping to 5 or 6 when Phil has returned from injury - in 20 matches he has 20 wickets @ 13.5 with 2 x 4'fers. Despite his reputation he has never passed 35* but is in a very strong NSW lineup so shouldn't think he would get to face many balls at the end of the innings - a SR of 116 would suggest he has licence to throw the bat.

I should imagine he and Shakib will bat at 5 & 6, although both could pinch hit higher.

Are we allowed to be quietly confident under Rule 1?

It will be Jaques and Smith in the T20, as Shakib will only be
available for the last 2 matches.

But where is the money coming from?