Ex-Black Cap Iain O'Brien at the crossroads

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COUNTY: Just under a year after he tearfully announced his international retirement, former Black Caps quick bowler Iain O'Brien has found himself stuck in cricket's version of purgatory.

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Former Wellington fast-medium bowler Iain O'Brien faces an uncertain future at English county Middlesex.

The London-based county has signed Australian opener Chris Rogers, meaning unless O'Brien can persuade the guardians of the county game to class him as a domestic player because he is married to a Englishwoman, then he will be down the road.

O'Brien has a three-year contract with Middlesex but there is a clause that states if he can't qualify as a domestic player in years two and three the deal can be withdrawn.

"In the contract was a clause that gave Middlesex CCC an option to terminate the agreement should the club's requirements change and if Iain's attempts to qualify as a local player failed," Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington said on the club's website.

"To date, ours and Iain's attempts to sign him as a locally registered player for 2011 and 2012 have proven problematic, leaving him in an extremely difficult position contractually.

"We have spoken at length with Iain, and support him in his quest to challenge this decision and to gain registration in England as a domestic player."

After a largely injury-free career, O'Brien has been hampered by injury at Middlesex. He has played only seven of the 16 first-class matches, taking 23 wickets at an average of 27.30 with a best of 8-105.

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