Essex have confirmed that former Aussie pacer Peter Siddle will leave the club for personal reasons and miss the rest of the 2021 season. "I've built some really strong bonds with the guys, so it's upsetting that I have to go home, but hopefully in the future I can come back," he said. "I know I'm getting to the back end of my career, but I've still got some playing time left. We'll see what happens in the coming months and in the build-up to the 2022 season, but fingers crossed there's still a little bit more cricket to be played for Essex."
The 36-year-old seamer took 20 wickets at 24.40 from six County Championship games this season for Essex. He was part of Essex's title win in 2019 but couldn't play last year in the Bob Willis Trophy after his deal was deferred to 2021 owing to travel restrictions posed by the Coronavirus pandemic on overseas players. Siddle took match figures of 4 for 97 in Essex's rain-hit draw with Nottinghamshire last week in his last appearance this season. Head coach Anthony McGrath added: "Peter is a model professional so it’s obviously disappointing that we’re losing a player of his calibre. "He’s a fierce competitor and always gives it his all, but we wish him nothing but the best and hopefully we see him back at Chelmsford soon."
