Gloucestershire to let quartet go

All-rounder Mark Hardinges is free to join another county

Gloucestershire have begun to make changes ahead of former coach John Bracewell’s return as director of cricket next season by announcing four players will be released.

Mark Hardinges, Ian Fisher, Carl Greenidge and Will Rudge have not been offered new contracts for 2009 and will leave at the end of this season.

All-rounder Hardinges made his first-class debut in 1999 and achieved his County Championship bowling best of 5-51 in 2005 against Kent. In the 2007 season he took 42 wickets across all competitions and scored a total of 744 runs.

He has taken 94 first-class wickets and 73 List A wickets. In addition, he has scored four first-class hundreds and one List A hundred.

Left-arm spinner Fisher began his career with Yorkshire moving to Gloucestershire in 2002. Next season he took three consecutive five-wicket hauls in the championship to help Gloucestershire gain promotion to Division One of the championship. This included his maiden ten-wicket match haul against Durham at Bristol.

Seamer Greenidge, having previously played for Surrey and Northamptonshire, joined Gloucestershire in 2005. Last season he took 28 wickets in the championship with a best of 5-54 against Leicestershire. He has five five-wicket hauls in his first class career to date.

Medium-pacer Rudge worked his way through the age group squads before making his debut against Sussex at Cheltenham in 2005 but his opportunities have been limited this year. He has taken 20 first-class wickets with a best of 3-46.