Worcs drop Kohler-Cadmore over Yorks interest

Worcestershire have dropped Tom Kohler-Cadmore after he told them he planned to join Yorkshire at the end of the season. ESPNcricinfo understands that Kohler-Cadmore, who is out of contract at the end of the current season, has been omitted from the side to play Sussex in a Championship match starting on Friday.

It currently remains unclear whether he will be included in the Worcestershire side scheduled to play in the semi-final of the Royal London Cup on June 17 - Worcestershire's first semi-final appearance in any competition in 13 years - or any other games this season. It is understood that neither Yorkshire nor Kohler-Cadmore have made any request (or have any expectation) that he will be released early from his contract.

Kohler-Cadmore is an important player for Worcestershire. Having come through the club's academy - he was educated from sixth-form level at nearby Malvern College - he has developed into a clean-hitting batsman who scored the fastest century of the English domestic season, off 43 balls, in 2016. Aged just 22, he was a big part of Worcestershire's plans for the future and the decision to drop him may well be a manifestation of the bitter disappointment Steve Rhodes, the director of cricket, feels at losing a player in whom he had invested such faith and time.

Until going to Malvern, however, Kohler-Cadmore had developed through the Yorkshire system. And it seems the lure of home - and playing with those he grew-up with - has had a strong influence. He had been of interest to several other clubs, including Warwickshire, while Worcestershire are understood to have offered him a new deal. There is no suggestion that Yorkshire's approach was anything other than appropriate: they gave Worcestershire notice of a 28-day approach several weeks ago and have progressed the deal by the book.

It may also be relevant that Yorkshire are likely to be one of the host grounds in the new-team T20 competition. As a highly promising white-ball player, Kohler-Cadmore is likely to have one eye on ensuring he is among the lucky few picked to play in an event that may well prove to be lucrative and well-publicised. He might argue that moving to a higher-profile club and rubbing shoulders with more high-profile players might be of benefit. It is understood he informed Worcestershire of his intentions early to help them plan and recruit a replacement if necessary.

Worcestershire finished top of the North Group in the Royal London Cup with Kohler-Cadmore making their only century of the campaign to date - a potentially deal-securing innings of 118 against Yorkshire. They have also won all four of their Championship matches this season, with Kohler-Cadmore averaging 48.40 in the campaign to date.