Former South African player Morne Morkel has decided to end his three-year stint with Surrey.
Surrey County Cricket chief executive Richard Gould has expressed how he hopes that Morne Morkel will still stay on their side for the 2021 domestic season. However, Morkel has already made up his mind about leaving the team after three years to spend more time with his family back in Australia.
Talking about his departure from the team, Morkel says, ‘The time has come to move onto a new chapter. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine requirements have made travel challenging and it is no longer feasible to spend large amounts of time away from home and my family’.
‘Winning the County Championship in my first year at Surrey and soaking up the energy from our supporters and members - who are the heartbeat of the club - is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Surrey will forever be in my heart and I wish the team all the best for the coming season and beyond. I'll be watching and supporting from afar’, he added.
Morkel became a part of the Surrey squad shortly after he announced his international retirement way back in 2018. In his first season with the club, he had already managed to claim 59 wickets which helped the team secure their first championship since 2002. The following season, he has also managed to take 44 wickets. This year, he also participated in the Bob Willis Trophy but was unable to finish the season due to an ankle injury caused by a stray ball he accidentally stepped on.
In an interview with Surrey’s director of cricket Alec Stewart, he said that they will have a hard time finding a replacement for Morkel. He said, ‘Sourcing a suitable replacement for Morne will not be easy and therefore we won't make a decision on a new signing until there's more clarity on the international schedule and player availability during our season. We will only sign someone who we believe will add to the quality of our squad’.
Still, his decision to leave the team was fully respected by Surrey as they reiterated that family must always come first. To learn more about Surrey and one of the cricket leagues they participate in, check out the T20 Blast page on Betwala.
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