Tongue held talks with a quantity of counties earlier than selecting Nottinghamshire, who beat off sturdy curiosity from Lancashire to safe his signature on an preliminary three-year deal. He mentioned that the chance to work with Notts bowling coach Kevin Shine once more was a main think about his choice, having beforehand been coached by him as half of the ECB’s tempo programme.
“I’ve been at the club since I was six years old and I’ve grown up playing for Worcester through the age groups and the academy and obviously signed my first pro deal there,” Tongue mentioned, talking at a #Funds4Runs session organised by LV= Insurance at Stockport Georgians Cricket Club. “I’ve got a massive heart for the club but I just feel like I’m at a time in my career when I need a new challenge and a new place to play.
“I had a few conferences with a totally different quantity of golf equipment and Notts simply actually excited me with the way in which they play their cricket and clearly the squad could be very sturdy. Peter Moores, the coach, and Kevin Shine, the bowling coach, actually attracted me.
“I’ve had stuff to do with Shiney in the past, growing up. I feel that’s going to benefit me, to have a different set of eyes on me to see how I can get better. If that’s more pace, or getting me in a better position at contact, we’ll see.”
Asked if there was a single purpose behind gamers leaving, Tongue mentioned: “I don’t think so. I’m not sure about the other lads leaving, but at my stage of my career now, I just felt like I needed a change and to work with some different coaches and different players. Obviously that is hopefully going to benefit me in the future.”
Moeen, whose brother Kadir is Worcestershire’s assistant coach, instructed that cash was a motivating issue for some departures. “I think it could be financial – it probably is financial with a couple of players,” he mentioned. “But I think some players probably feel like they want to play at a bigger venue or a bigger club. It doesn’t always work out, but good luck to them.
“I like Worcester, I nonetheless love Worcester. Obviously my brother’s there and the coach, Richo [Alan Richardson], so I nonetheless observe their progress and stuff. It’s a disgrace, but it surely’s at all times been a membership or a county that is produced good gamers and I’m positive they at all times will.”
Tongue and Pennington shared 12 wickets between them in Worcestershire’s win against Leicestershire at Oakham this week, leaving them third in Division Two of the County Championship and only two points off a promotion spot. Richardson admitted some mixed emotions, but said they would continue to be selected for the rest of the summer.
“Obviously I’m disillusioned that they’re leaving,” Richardson said, “however at the identical time they’re nonetheless our gamers they usually nonetheless need to carry out for us for the remaining of the season, to assist us obtain our targets. Having them within the workforce makes us higher. We aren’t going to change our opinion on that simply because they’re leaving at the top of the season.”
Josh Tongue was talking on behalf of LV= Insurance, title sponsors of this summer season’s LV= Insurance Ashes Series. Head to https://www.lv.com/gi/cricket to search out out extra.
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98
