Harry Gurney's global Twenty20 trophy hunt continues in Pakistan Super League

[MenInG]

Nottinghamshire's Harry Gurney hopes enhancing his Twenty20 credentials in the Pakistan Super League will help him to catch the eye of England's selectors.

Gurney, who has 10 ODI and two T20I caps to his name, made his Quetta Gladiators' debut this week and is relishing the chance to play against top-notch opposition.

"When the draft results for the PSL came through and I found out that I'd been selected, I was delighted as this was an opportunity to come over and mix with people who play in different parts of the world and try and learn from them," he said.

"Ultimately, wherever I play cricket, I want to try and win trophies, so even here that will be the number-one objective and I believe we can do that as we have a strong squad."

Gurney took 20 wickets at 19.35 apiece for Nottinghamshire in last summer's Vitality Blast

With many Twenty20 tournaments around the world now testing the skills of a multitude of players, it is important for cricketers like Gurney to be convinced that, apart from the financial rewards of playing in lucrative franchise-based tournaments, they also gain from the experience of playing in high-quality competitions such as the PSL.

"I am very impressed with the standard of cricket in this tournament which has a good mix of local and foreign talent," said Gurney. "It's a strong competition with lots of good left-arm seamers from Pakistan and, of course, we also have some canny spinners as well, and these guys have grown up playing on flat pitches. So they have lots of tricks up their sleeves which does make for a good challenge for the batsmen.

"I get the impression that guys from Pakistan grow up on flat pitches without lateral movement so they have to have good slower balls and yorkers. In England, Australia and South Africa, you can use the pitch a bit more and get your variations that way. These guys have particularly good limited-overs skills which probably comes to them naturally due to the conditions they've grown up in."

Gurney - picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming edition of the IPL for approximately USD $105,000 - is becoming well-versed in the global game.

"It's been a good few months for me as I had a good time in Australia with the Melbourne Renegades in the BBL and have then come here to the PSL in the UAE to get myself ready on subcontinental pitches," he said.

"That's not to say that I view PSL as a warm-up for IPL, not at all. The PSL is equally important to me. But it's nice that when I arrive in India, I'll have some overs under my belt on subcontinental pitches which would be useful," he added.

Harry Gurney is mobbed by Nottinghamshire team-mates during the County Championship match against Lancashire in April

So how does the county-cricket scene in England and Wales compare?

"I think county cricket probably doesn't get the credit it deserves and I don't think it's quite as weak as people would think," said Gurney.

"I didn't go to the BBL and think it was a huge amount stronger than what we have in England. The franchise competitions such as PSL are interesting as from one year to the next, the team make-ups can be different, as can the conditions, but it's quite difficult to compare that with what you find in England.

"The fact is, that like anywhere else, we also get some great games of Twenty20 cricket in England as well as some which are not so good."

A fresh challenge awaits in 2020 when the ECB launches 'The Hundred' - complete with a player-draft system scheduled to take place in October - and Gurney says it is important the competition has time to bed in before people make a judgement on it.

"The natural reaction when you hear about it is, why are we changing things and tinkering with a successful formula?" he said.

"When the ECB launched the Twenty20 format in 2003, people were probably saying similar things. Let's see where we are in five-10 years' time with The Hundred before we make a firm judgement on its merits."

By the time this year's World Cup rolls around it will be four-and-a-half years since Gurney last played an ODI, but he is not completely discounting a comeback for England, no matter how stiff the competition for places.

"A return to England colours is not something I devote a huge amount of thought to at the moment, as my main priority is to play Twenty20 cricket around the world as much as possible and win as many trophies as I can," he said.

"My aim in playing PSL is that when I get a chance, I perform well so, that in future years, they'll have me back in one of the franchises. If performing well in franchise cricket around the world then leads to me putting on an England shirt again, that'd be a great bonus too."

https://www.skysports.com/cricket/ne...n-super-league

[Zeeraq]

Interesting that he has played BBL, playing PSL and will play in IPL in the future, only a few numbers of players who can manage this. A come back at this stage specially for a fast bowler would be nothing short of miraculous though.

[FastBowlingAllrounder]

"That's not to say that I view PSL as a warm-up for IPL, not at all. The PSL is equally important to me. But it's nice that when I arrive in India, I'll have some overs under my belt on subcontinental pitches which would be useful," he added.

Great to hear.

[MenInG]

Hope he can get something out of the PSL for his career.

[Abdullah719]

Gurney quits red-ball for limited-overs only

Harry Gurney, the English death bowler that played a key role in the Melbourne Renegades maiden BBL title win, has retired from red-ball cricket to focus on the limited-overs formats.

Gurney – who has the sobriquets 'Mr Bean' and 'The Accountant' for his ungainly physique and bowling action – has signed a white-ball only two-year deal with English county side Nottinghamshire

"I am very proud of what I have achieved in red-ball cricket, but now feels like the right time to focus solely on one-day competitions," Gurney said in a statement.

"I am grateful to the club for understanding and for showing faith in me by giving me a deal until the end of 2020.

"I can't imagine playing my cricket anywhere else in England and I hope I can taste further white-ball success with this exciting group of players."

His exploits with the Renegades after joining as a replacement player for Pakistan's Usman Shinwari help cement his reputation as one of the best death bowlers in T20 cricket.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/harr...des/2019-03-20

[MenInG]

Nottinghamshire seamer Harry Gurney has announced his retirement from cricket after taking 614 all-format wickets during his career in the professional game.

The 34-year-old has bowed out as a result of the shoulder injury that saw him miss the club’s 2020 Vitality Blast campaign.

“The time has arrived for me to hang up my boots,” he said.

“After trying to recover from the recent injury to my shoulder, I am truly disappointed to have to end my playing career as a result of it.

“From the first time I picked up a cricket ball at the age of ten, I was completely obsessed. Cricket has been my life for 24 years and has taken me on an incredible journey that I will cherish forever.

“Playing for England, in the IPL and winning eight trophies at home and abroad including the Blast, Big Bash and CPL has exceeded my wildest dreams.

“I always prepared for leaving cricket and I have discovered a new path in business that gives me the same excitement that I felt when I discovered the game all those years ago.

“That is a path I will now go down with immediate effect, as I have found this injury recovery too much of a mountain to climb.”

Gurney was a three-time trophy winner with the Green and Golds having triumphed in List A Finals at Lord’s on two occasions and snared Finals Day figures of 7-36 across two matches to help secure the T20 Blast trophy in 2017.

He was capped by the club in 2014, is a 12-time England international and has represented Melbourne Renegades, Quetta Gladiators, Kolkata Knight Riders, Barbados Tridents and Leicestershire during a trophy-laden 12 years in the professional game.

“There have been so many big influences on my career; Dan Christian, Mick Newell, Andrew Macdonald, Wayne Noon, Andy Pick, Pete Moores and Tom Harwood to name just a few,” he added.

“I’ve had an incredible time, on and off the field, sharing a pitch and a dressing room with teammates who have become friends for life.

“But to my family, and particularly my dad, John, I owe the biggest thanks. He has been an unwavering support from my first ball to my last. Making him and my entire family proud has been by far my biggest source of joy.

“Last but not least, thank you to my amazing wife Avril who has been on the journey with me through thick and thin. I can’t wait to spend more time with her and my beautiful children Arthur and Mabel.”

Mick Newell, who brought Gurney to Nottinghamshire ahead of the 2012 season, highlighted the left-armer’s achievements in both the red- and white-ball game.

“Harry has been a terrific, match winning bowler for this club for a number of years,” said the Director of Cricket.

“He’s carved out a niche in limited-overs competitions in recent times and been very successful in that at home and abroad, but his record in the First-Class game is something he can be immensely proud of as well.

“Harry sets a good example to all cricketers in that he’s prepared himself for life after the game, and that is something I hope will make the transition a lot easier.

“He moves into a new phase of his life with the very best wishes of everyone at Trent Bridge, and we hope to see him as a welcome visitor on a regular basis during the coming years.”

[zacattakk]

He played in the PSL? I don't remember this guy at all.

[RedwoodOriginal]

He played in the PSL? I don't remember this guy at all.

Played for QG