Stroud Sport
CRICKET
3:22pm Friday 3rd February 2012
GLOUCESTERSHIRE have completed their first new signing of the winter.
Batsman Dan Housego has joined on a three-year-contract after leaving Middlesex and looks set to fill the number three position next season.
Gloucestershire have been in discussions with the 23-year-old for a while and were able to seal the deal after setting their budget in a board meeting last week.
Housego, who is returning to the club having been part of the Academy as a youngster, has made 15 first class appearances for Middlesex, scoring two centuries against Oxford UCCE and Sri Lanka, where he shared a stand of 214 with England captain Andrew Strauss.
Gloucestershire director of cricket, John Bracewell, said: "We are delighted to welcome Dan Housego back to the club.
"Dan has been one of, if not, the best top-order batsmen in second XI cricket and we are delighted that he joins us, in particular, to fill the difficult number three position where I am confident he is ready for consistent first team cricket."
"Members will remember that Dan was one of our original Academy players, having been spotted by former Academy coach and club captain Tony Wright.
"Unfortunately, we lost Dan to Middlesex, but he has decided to return to the club having completed a grounded apprenticeship at Lord's."
A talented schoolboy athlete, Housego, from Windsor, chose cricket as a career, despite being a trainee footballer with Oxford United, and represented England at under-15, 16 and 17 levels.
He made his County Championship debut against Derbyshire in 2008 after graduating from the Middlesex Academy but is now seeking more first team opportunities. Housego said: "I am delighted to be joining Gloucestershire at such an exciting time for the club and becoming part of such a young and promising squad."
Muttiah Muralitheran has confirmed that he will be returning to Gloucestershire Cricket for the 2012 Friends Life Twenty20 competition. The Sri Lanka spin bowling legend joined the Club last season and played in all 15 FL t20 games, proving a huge attraction. He sent down more overs than any other Gloucestershire bowler in the competition and finished joint top wicket-taker with 12.
Now supporters can look forward to seeing the man with the most Test wickets in history demonstrating his art at the County Ground.
Murali said: “I thoroughly enjoyed my first FL t20 season with Gloucestershire and I am looking forward to returning to the Club.”