Leicestershire have cancelled Will Pucovski’s deal after the Australian batter suffered another concussion. The 26-year-old had been due to play for the Foxes in the first five rounds of the County Championship, but will instead focus on recovering from a blow to the helmet sustained during Victoria’s Sheffield Shield match with Tasmania this month. Pucovski, formerly seen as a big Test prospect for Australia, has sustained repeated concussions during his career.
The Leicestershire director of cricket, Claude Henderson, said: “It’s a huge shame to lose Will at this stage, but his health must come first. Given the proximity to the start of the English season, it has been agreed by all parties to allow him the necessary time to recover, and we want to wish Will all the best as he continues to recuperate in Australia.
“Our recruitment team have been aware of the evolving situation and we have plans in place to ensure our team is as strong as possible heading into the season.”
Meanwhile, Darren Gough has stepped down from his role as managing director of cricket at Yorkshire. The former England fast bowler was appointed in December 2021 in the wake of the racism allegations that rocked the sport. Gough said: “It’s been an absolute honour to work for my boyhood club over the last two seasons.
“Having stepped in at a very challenging time, we’ve worked hard to steady the ship and develop our cricket department to ensure we can return to the top tier of English cricket.”