Walsh to miss English county season

West Indies captain Courtney Walsh will give the English county season a miss, given the amount of international cricket his national side is slated to play during the current season.

Walsh, who has played for Gloucestershire since 1984 and captained the county since 1993, said that Test tours by India and Sri Lanka, as well as the extending of the Red Stripe Cup games from five to ten meant that his involvement in West Indies cricket would stretch till July this year.

While leaving open the possibility that he could renew his county contract for the 1998 season, Walsh said that after July, he might fly down to Gloucestershire for a bit of coaching and some charity games.

The 34-year-old fast bowler meanwhile sustained a groin strain in couis nursing a groin strain sustained in the fifth Test against Australia recently, and at the time of writing this seems a doubtful starter for the first Test against India at Sabina Park, Kingston, beginning March 6.