ENGLAND all-rounder Moeen Ali will remain a Worcestershire player until at least 2018 after Pears bosses rubbished reports linking him with a return to Warwickshire.
A national cricket website had suggested the talented Pears batsman was on his way out of New Road with Warwickshire, Hampshire and Middlesex all interested in making an approach.
The report suggested Moeen’s contract with Worcestershire expired in October but club officials confirmed the all-rounder’s deal will not expire until 2018.
As a result, no other county can make an approach for his services until at least April next year and Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes expressed his hope Moeen would remain a Pear beyond the end of his current deal.
“Firstly he is centrally contracted by England and long may that continue, he’s a guy we have invested a lot of time and energy in and we see him as a real flag bearer for Worcestershire,” Rhodes told the Observer.
“I’ve seen first-hand in the England dressing room what an important person he is for that team so long may the ECB contract continue.
“He still has two years to run, the reports are wrong. No team can approach him because he’s not in the last year of his contract.
“Of course we want to keep hold of Moeen and we will do our best over this period to make sure he knows how much we want to keep him,” he added.
Rhodes also tackled speculation over young batsman Joe Clarke’s future by confirming the talented 24-year-old also had two years left on his current deal.
“Joe is another quality cricketer who we want to keep hold of,” he added.