Warwickshire county cricketer Oliver Hannon-Dalby reflected on spending ten years at Edgbaston, and said he ‘cried his eyes out’ after he was let go from his home county Yorkshire in 2012.
The Yorkshireman since then has spent ten years playing for Warwickshire, winning the county championship in 2021 along the way.
Speaking about being told he was not a part of Yorkshire’s plans going forward ten years ago, Hannon-Dalby said: “It’s tough, especially at your home-grown county.
“I’m a Yorkshireman and there’s a lot of pride playing for Yorkshire up there. That was a tough day in my career, no doubt about it.
“I was told when doing a gym session, and it was October, and I was straight out and in the car, and I cried my eyes out.”
Hannon-Dalby was a graduate of the Yorkshire cricket academy and made his first-class debut against Surrey in 2008, his first wicket was against prolific run scorer, Mark Ramprakash.
“We have a union called the PCA (Professional Cricketers Association),” said the Warwickshire bowler.
“I was straight on the phone to them and met up with a brilliant guy who helped me out straight away that afternoon.
“I was basically just crying on his shoulder for three hours. This wasn’t my plan, my life plan wasn’t to be wrapped up by aged twenty-three.
“My life was to be playing for Yorkshire for the rest of my life, so yes, it was very tough.
“But also, I would have never played the amount of cricket that I’ve played here at Yorkshire, I would of never have won the trophies I’ve won.
“So, whilst it was very tough at the time, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that I ended up being here and ended up playing the cricket that I have.”
The 33-year-old right arm bowler played a part in the final day relegation battle versus Hampshire, tallying one wicket in the win to avoid relegation from division one.
“I owe Yorkshire a lot, they taught me how to play the game, and I had a brilliant cricketing education at Yorkshire,” said Hannon-Dalby.
“But I have been lucky to be at two of the biggest county cricket clubs in the country. Two brilliant counties, brilliant facilities, and brilliant members.
“I’m 33 now, and I want to play for as long as I possibly can. Darren Stevens has been in the press a lot lately for playing up till he’s 44.
“I’m not sure that I’ll quite do that, that’s a long way away. I certainly want to play for the next four or five years if I possibly can.
“Then after cricket, I have no idea if I’m honest on what I’m going to be when I grow up. I don’t really know.”n 2012.
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