Worcestershire pin faith in veteran Magoffin

Worcestershire have responded to their promotion to Division One of the Specsavers Championship by gambling on the fitness of veteran Australian seam bowler Steve Magoffin.

Magoffin, who will be 38 when next season begins, has a UK passport and joins Worcestershire after a prolific six years at Sussex in which he took 340 wickets in 89 appearances. He previously played at New Road for a season in 2008.

Worcestershire are desperate to break their habit as the Championships yo-yo club as their predominantly homegrown side has moved repeatedly between the two divisions.

Magoffin led the pace attack throughout his time at Sussex, finishing with more than 50 County Championship wickets in five of his six seasons with the club. In 2014 he finished the season as leading wicket taker within Division One with 72 wickets, and there were even calls for him to supplement Australia's injury-hit squad on their last tour of England, but he teams up with Worcestershire four years after his career high.

A Sussex media release made much of his contribution to the county, saying: "Despite experiencing a frustrating final season due to injury, Magoffin has continued to be a leader within the dressing room, helping nurture a young and exciting pace attack. Alongside this he has been an ever-present figure within the wider Sussex community helping the Sussex Cricket Foundation with numerous activities and community events during 2017."

It is such qualities that Worcestershire's director of cricket Steve Rhodes will also wish to bring to bear.

Sussex are well placed for life without Magoffin with Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer and George Garton set to lead the pace attack across all formats and with growing confidence in their up-and-coming seamers.

Magoffin was quick to reflect how his Sussex career began when he was asked to fill in for a few weeks by the former coach Mark Robinson: "Robbo originally brought me to the club for a six-week period, which has ultimately turned into the best six years of my career. I have had the time of my life at Sussex and I look forward to following the team's future success as a supporter of this great county.

"I am disappointed not to be able to continue my career at Sussex, however, moving back to Worcestershire where I played 10 years ago is the right opportunity for my family and I. My wife's family is based in Worcestershire and it will be great for the kids to be closer to them all."

Keith Greenfield, Sussex director of cricket, said: "Steve has been a fantastic servant for the club, he has led our attack with great skill over the past six years. This year has been an extremely difficult year for him, but he has continued to be the ultimate professional, and we wish him well with his new challenge."