Warwickshire sign Irish fast bowler Rankin

[Speedboy Salesman]

Originally Posted by Cricinfo

Boyd Rankin, the Ireland quick bowler, has signed a two-year deal with Warwickshire after turning down a contract with Derbyshire.
Rankin made his mark at the World Cup but struggled for fitness during the 2007 season and appeared in just three Championship matches. However, Derbyshire had offered him a new deal but said Rankin hadn't responded so they released him.
"We wanted to back his potential and continue to develop his career under the guidance of [head of cricket] John Morris and [bowling coach] Mike Hendrick in particular, who has done so much for him since bringing him to Derbyshire," said chief executive Tom Sears. "The offer was made a long time ago during the season and, despite telling us some weeks ago he was likely to stay, Boyd has not signed the new deal."
But Rankin explained his side of the story, saying he thinks the move comes at the right time of his career and the chance to work with Allan Donald was too good to miss. "Derbyshire made me a very good offer, and it was a difficult decision to leave, as they have been very good to me. Having examined my options, my agent informed them I wouldn't be resigning before their deadline passed. I'd like to go on record to thank Mike Hendrick who has been instrumental in my career development."
"However once the opportunity arose with Warwickshire, and the chance to work with their bowling coach Allan Donald, it was something I had to go for. I'm looking forward to the next few years, both domestically and internationally. I've a contract to play in the Indian League along with Niall O' Brien, and it looks like I'll be in Bangladesh with Ireland in March."

From what I remember of Rankin (admittedly, I can only remember him in the World Cup in the West Indies) he was quite good. Warwickshire need decent fast bowlers... Groenewald, Anyon and the like are nowhere near the mark.

[engssmoothcriminal]

It's a depressingly poor signing (although I admitedly did say exactly the same thing about Maddy 12 months ago) and a really second rate substitute for Broad, Newby, Rana and every other seam bowler we have been linked with yet failed to sign over the last few months. Sorry an unproven 23 year old medium pacer with a dismal fitness record and attitude problem really doesn't cut it for me and I'd rather have stuck with the equally talented and physicaly frail (English) Adam Shantry who was treated dispicably by Greatbatch or promote one of the homegrown young seamers (namely Woakes). If you are going to add to our horribly bloated playing staff then you add proven quality not poach yet more untested mediocrity off our now (thanks to last seasons fun and games ) bitter promotion rivals and hand them a ludicrous 2 year contract in which to get associated with a brand new physio's table. Signing on for an ICL payday allied to missing pre season with Ireland also doesn't greatly endear him to me.

There is only one Derbyshire player I'd be interested signing and that's Wagg but that would mean admiting we made a mistake in letting him go. And to the powers that be at Edgebaston that concept would be inconceivable .

[Speedboy Salesman]

Steyn was good for Warwickshire, but I always thought Sangakkara could've done more for the team, to me he didn't seem that bothered.

[greg]

Some other interesting signings announced today,Simon Jones to Worcestershire and Rikki Clarke is the new Derbyshire captain.

Shows how poor a signing Rankin is really.

[adamberry]

Originally Posted by greg

Shows how poor a signing Rankin is really.

I'd take Rankin over Clarke, any day. Clarke's a bit over-hyped and perhaps has a bit too much ego, if you ask me.

[Speedboy Salesman]

Rankin is a better signing that Clarke, but Simon Jones is a massive signing for Worcestershire, it's a good buy. I would've prefer Warwickshire to get him of course...

[engssmoothcriminal]

Come off it guys for all Clarke's failings in an England shirt he's a quality batting all rounder at this level and moving away from the comfort zone at Surrey where he's clearly grown stale could well be the making of him as a player. The extra responsibility of captaining and being the star player in a mediocre team should hopefully prove the kickstart his career so badly needs and he is still let's not forget only 26. It's a real coup for Derbyshire and with a couple of solid county pros Doshi and Sadler already on board and Jayawardene close to signing they are looking in pretty good shape for next season.

Sadly if I list the Warwickshire still (in spite of retirements) plentiful pace bowling options I can't really say the same and AD certainly has his work cut out . Fingers crossed for a quality O/S bowler (Morkel, Steyn, Sami, Bracken) and Davies from Durham and Footitt from Notts as an attack picked from;

Anyon
Carter
Daggett
Groenewald
Hole
MacLeod
Miller
Rankin
Tahir
Woakes

really won't cut it.

Though at least we weren't daft enough to sign Simon Jones. Sad to say but he's finished and the fact that he's ended up at Worcestershire suggest that none of the big counties were willing to waste their money in the vain hope he'd miraculously redescover his 2005 Ashes form. The 2007 Simon Jones wouldn't get into most club teams up and down the country and he's one injury from retirement.

[Speedboy Salesman]

personally I think we need a decent spinner, with Giles retired, now all we really have is Loudon and James. and Loudon is terrible IMO.

[engssmoothcriminal]

He may be an underwelming (and clearly forgettable ) player but Ant Botha's a solid div 2 spinner and won't let us down in that department provided he has some runs to work with and some support from the rest of the attack which Paul Harris sadly didn't. Hopefully James continues to get a run in the one day team and you never know could force his way into the CC side purely as a batsmen.

[Speedboy Salesman]

I forgot about Botha. James wasn't bad in the one day side, he could genuinly bowl a bit.