Steve Kirby is flame haired and has an on-field personality to match that shade. He has never given up on international recognition and enjoyed spells with four counties to try and achieve his aim of playing for England. But the Lions looks as far as he will get.

He nearly didn't even a chance in county cricket after being released by Leicestershire without playing a first-class game. He was close to becoming a full-time industrial floor salesman but was given a chance at Yorkshire in 2001. His debut came as a substitute when Matthew Hoggard was selected for England and Kirby grasped his chance with seven wickets. His third match saw him pitted against his former employers, Leicestershire, and the heroics continued as he recorded match figures of 12 for 72. Kirby went on to play a vital role in Yorkshire's Championship-winning side, taking 47 first-class wickets at 20.85. This performance earned him a place in the first England Academy squad, based in Australia, in November 2001.

Kirby is a fiery character on the field, remarkable for his gestures and occasionally colourful utterances, which have come close to getting him into trouble with umpires. His often surreal sledging has already made it into cricket folklore. He once famously remarked to Mike Atherton that he had seen better players in his fridge. Kirby had the last word in this exchange in more ways than one, dismissing Atherton in both innings of what transpired to be Atherton's last Championship game.

His 67 first-class wickets at 26.40 in 2003 suggested Kirby was capable of performing at the highest level but after struggling with a back problem a year later, requested to leave Yorkshire. Gloucestershire quickly signed him up and Kirby returned 45 wickets at 26.00 in his first season at Bristol. Despite controversy when he was fined for rolling a ball across the car park, Kirby was a consistent performer for Gloucestershire and earned an England Lions call up to face Australia in 2009 - a season where he took 64 wickets at 22.18.

Kirby was desperate to play Division One cricket and when Gloucestershire narrowly failed to achieve promotion in 2010, he turned down the offer of a benefit season to join Somerset for one final crack at pushing national selection. He could do no more than the 53 wickets he took at 31.54 in 2011 but injury limited his 2012 season to nine first-class matches and his chance of playing for England looked to have disappeared.
ESPNcricinfo staff