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The Brit Oval, London (17 November 2006) - Surrey County Cricket Club can confirm that their two overseas signings for the 2007 season will be former Australian Test bowler, Matthew Nicholson and Pakistani all-rounder, Azhar Mahmood.

It will be Mahmood’s sixth season with the Club, while Nicholson moves to Surrey after a season at Northamptonshire.

Nicholson, who played in one Test match for Australia in 1998, was Northamptonshire’s leading wicket taker in 2006, taking 46 wickets at 31.97 while also proving useful with the bat, scoring 454 runs at 28.37. His presence will bolster the Club’s fast bowling ranks as it looks to press for Division One title claims next season.

Mahmood, who joined the Club in 2002, will also be on the Surrey staff for a further season and his all-round ability will again be welcomed. In five seasons with the Club, the 31 year old has taken 150 first-class wickets at 30.83 as well as scoring 2300 runs at 37.7.

Commenting on the signings, Surrey Cricket Manager, Alan Butcher said,

“I am extremely pleased to have Azhar on board again who has been an excellent servant for us over the past five seasons. His ability with both bat and ball is unquestioned and gives us great flexibility in selection while Matthew will bring that added fire to our pace attack that we will certainly need moving into Division One. I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

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Former Essex and England Captain Graham Gooch will receive an Honorary Doctorate from Anglia Ruskin University during a ceremony at Chelmsford Cathedral on Tuesday (November 21).

Gooch, now Batting Coach at Essex, is being honoured ‘for his long and dedicated contribution to county cricket in Essex, and for his illustrious international record as a successful Test Captain of England’.

The 53-year-old will be given his award during a graduation ceremony for Arts, Law and Social Sciences students from midday.

Gooch told the Essex CCC website (www.essexcricket.org.uk):

“It’s an honour to be recognised for my services to the sport of cricket. I was never particularly academic as a youngster – leaving school early to do an engineering apprenticeship – but it is nice to be involved with Anglia Ruskin University as we have had a few players studying there from the Club.

Anglia Ruskin University is expanding and developing all the time, which goes hand in hand with the development plans proposed for The Ford County Ground at Chelmsford.

I think my award is recognition of what Essex County Cricket Club means to the town and area.

My three daughters will be in attendance on Tuesday so it’s going to be a real family affair.”

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Essex Captain Ronnie Irani has declared his hip operation a success following surgery in America. However, the 35-year-old batsman will have to return to Colorado in December after deferring planned surgery on his left knee.

Speaking to the Essex CCC website (www.essexcricket.org.uk), Irani said:

“I went over to Vail, Colorado last week initially to get a (left) hip operation from a guy called Marc Philippon – who also operated on Ashley Giles – and that was successful.

“I was hoping to get the knee operation done at the same time but, with the angle they need to get the knee into, it would have been impossible because it might have damaged my hip. So I need to rest the hip and will then return to Vail in six weeks’ time when I’m going to take my wife and two children out who can do some skiing while I get operated on!

“I’m still hoping that everything should be bang on schedule to be fit for the start of next season. I’ve got plenty of time for the rehab on the knee – it’s not major surgery but it’s something similar to what I had three years’ ago on the right knee – and though you can never say never and things should be a little bit tender pre-season I should still be able to get through.”

Notes:

Ronnie Irani has scored in excess of 12,000 first-class runs (along with taking over 300 first-class wickets) for Essex since joining the County in 1994. The former Lancashire player has been Captain of Essex since 2000. He enjoyed an outstanding 2006 season with 1075 runs @ 59.72 in the County Championship, 379 runs @ 63.16 in the C&G Trophy and 338 runs @ 42.25 in the Twenty20 Cup. In addition, the former England player led his side to success in the NatWest Pro40 and Twenty20 Floodlit Cup.

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