worcestershire’s new signing steve magoffin will be closing in on a personal milestone and looking to continue the superb run of form evident during his last few appearances when the 2018 season gets underway.
the australian paceman, who has already started training in the New Road gymnasium with his new team-mates, needs just 19 more wickets to reach the 600 mark in first class cricket.
magoffin’s impressive tally of 581 victims contains 27 five wicket hauls at an average of 23.23.
several of those five-fors came in a superb climax to the 2016 campaign and during his shortened spell of action in 2017.
magoffin’s last eight championship appearances have includes returns of 5-73 versus gloucestershire, 5-88 (kent), 5-50 (leicestershire) and 5-88 (worcestershire) – all in 2016.
then this summer he picked up 5-51 against nottinghamshire at trent bridge.
it is the kind of run that demonstrates magoffin’s standing as a proven performer and many of his successful seasons with sussex were in the top flight where worcestershire are looking to make their mark after winning division two.
worcestershire assistant coach-bowling coach matt mason said: “a lot of other counties were after steve and he will be great for us.
“he’s a seasoned professional, he has played most of his cricket in division one so from that point of view he will bring some great knowledge and strength to our dressing room.
“the last (full) season he played, he produced another outstanding performance.
“we know with a big winter of fitness behind him, if we can get the bulk of four-day fixtures from steve magoffin, that will really help us as a bowling unit.”
magoffin first played for worcestershire in april 2008 and made his first ‘debut’ for the club in a drawn game against warwickshire at edgbaston.
the rest of the county attack in that game consisted of kabir ali, gareth andrew and gareth batty with daryl mitchell and vikram solanki acting as back-up bowlers.
other members of the bowling line-up that summer included mason, simon jones. imran arif and chris whelan.
magoffin picked up 23 wickets in seven matches and worcestershire were promoted as runners-up to warwickshire.
