In an era when England have not exactly been blessed with spin bowling options, Gary Keedy can considering himself unlucky not to have had a crack in the Test team, especially after his performances in the last couple of seasons. In 2004 in finished as the highest wicket-taker amongst English-qualified spinners, with 72 wickets, and was ever present in the relegated Lancashire side and was often left with a huge workload on flat pitches. That followed the 2003 summer where he'd claimed 60 scalps.

Wakefield-born Keedy left Yorkshire at the end of 1994, was capped by Lancashire in 2000, named their player of the year after taking 72 Champions wickets in 2004, awarded a benefit in 2009 and was leading wicket-taker - with 61 dismissals - as Lancashire won the County Championship title in 2011. He has claimed 50 wickets in a first-class season four times.

Keedy moved across the Pennines after failing to get a regular place in the Yorkshire side, and the turning point in his career was the arrival of Bobby Simpson as coach. He told him he was good enough to be the frontline spinner and to have confidence in himself. Ironically, Lancashire then signed Muttiah Muralitharan, and were on the brink of having Harbhajan Singh for the 2003 season, but Harbhajan suffered a finger injury, opening the door for Keedy - and he didn't looked back. The development of Monty Panesar closed the door on any international career, but he remains one of the best spinners on the county circuit.

Lancashire's Championship success in 2011 - ending a 77-year wait for the title - persuaded him to stay at the club despite strong interest from Warwickshire and Surrey. However, opportunities became increasingly limited with the emergence of fellow left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan and after the 2012 season Keedy signed with Surrey.

Andrew McGlashan