Jefferson to leave Essex

Will Jefferson, Essex's 26-year-old opening batsman, is to leave the club by mutual consent at the end of the season.

Capped by Essex in 2002, Jefferson has been dogged by injuries throughout his career; a freak injury earlier this year, when he pushed his hand through a bathroom window, damaged 70 per cent of the tendons in his wrist.

"I have had a very frustrating year due to an accident sustained in the pre-season period and the consequences of this have been that my opportunities to play first-team cricket have been severely limited," Jefferson said. "With the progress of others I feel the best chance of furthering my career in the game lies elsewhere."

In response, David East, Essex's chief executive, said: "It is always very disappointing when we lose players, particularly those who have been part of our development system for many years. Will has been a great asset to the club but we fully understand his reasoning and respect the decision he has made," he said. "We think it is in Will's best interest to make a clean break now so that he can fully investigate alternative cricket opportunities whilst the season is ongoing."

Jefferson scored 4300 first-class runs including 11 hundreds with a highest score of 222 v Hampshire at the Rose Bowl in 2004. He made 2303 one-day runs including four centuries with a highest score of 132 v Essex County Board in the C & G Trophy at Chelmsford in 2003.