Seamer Plunkett to join Surrey after Yorkshire opt not to offer a deal

Yorkshire have confirmed Liam Plunkett will join Surrey on a three-year deal at the end of this season.

England seamer Plunkett, 33, is in the last year of his contract at Headingley.

Yorkshire’s director of cricket Martyn Moxon said: “We are trying to assemble a squad that has availability and is within our budget to compete in all three domestic competitions.

“With that in mind, we are not in a position to be able to offer Liam a new contract. He has played a big part in our recent success, and we obviously thank him for that and wish him well for the future.”

Plunkett, pictured, is a fourtime county championship winner – twice each with Durham and Yorkshire, whom he joined five years ago – and he has represented his country 105 times across all three formats.

Plunkett remains a first-choice selection for England as they gear up to a home World Cup next year, thanks to his white-ball resurgence, but he has not featured in the championship for Yorkshire this season.

His move south was widely anticipated after he began the season with a stint as a late injury replacement at the Indian Premier League and was then left out by Yorkshire after taking one for 76 in their limitedovers victory over Lancashire at Old Trafford last month.

He said of leaving Yorkshire: “It’s disappointing that it has come to an end, but it is incredibly exciting that I’ve got a chance to go to another really big club and hope to win some more silverware with them.”

“There comes a time in people’s careers where you don’t get offered a contract. Obviously, Yorkshire want to go in a different direction.”