4:59pm Friday 22nd January 2010
By Michael Reeves
KABIR Ali insists he did not refuse to return to training at Worcestershire this winter.
The 29-year-old fast bowler completed his protracted move to Hampshire today on a three-year contract following his release from New Road.
Kabir, who was the only Worcestershire player not on a year-round contract, had the autumn off and was due to return to New Road at the start of this year.
However, despite failing to report back to pre-season training on January 4, the former England international said he was actually on annual leave.
“I was entitled to have 12 days annual leave and I took them. I never refused to train,” he said. “The people that had to know knew about this.
“Now that everything has been sorted out, I just want to draw a line under it all.”
When Kabir approached the club in September to ask to be released from the final year of his contract, the County reluctantly agreed to allow him to speak to other counties — but they insisted on a fee of £60,000 in compensation for his release.
The former fans’ favourite only spoke to Hampshire and, at the time, it was thought he had agreed a three-year contract providing his exit from New Road could be arranged.
But neither Hampshire nor Kabir were prepared to pay the full amount and, after months of wrangling, the two counties have finally come to an agreement.
“I don’t know what was agreed between the two counties,” Kabir said.
“I stayed out of the negotiations.”
For the majority of his time at Worcestershire, Kabir was well liked by the County faithful and, when rumours of unrest in the New Road dressing grew with players departing, the strike bowler said he was not leaving.
However, it was not long before Kabir was meeting with County officials to ask for his release.
“At that time, I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted to do,” he said.
“The club were going through a difficult time with players leaving.
“But my feelings grew stronger and I knew I needed a fresh challenge.
“I enjoyed my time at Worcestershire immensely and have made a lot of good friends.”
Kabir made his senior debut for the County in September 1999 and went on to take 415 wickets in first-class games for Worcestershire, including six in his final outing at Durham at the end of last June.
But injuries hampered his final two years at New Road and in the past season he only managed eight appearances in all competitions.
Now that his move to the south coast has been finally completed, Kabir will team up with his former Worcestershire colleague Simon Jones, who was released last summer.
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