South Australian batsman Greg Blewett has been formally released by English county club Nottinghamshire. The midlands club, for which Blewett has been an outstanding contributor this year, has indicated overnight that it intends to sign a specialist bowler as its overseas professional for the 2002 season.

Blewett has been a model of consistency for Nottinghamshire in 2001. He entered the final round of the first-class season with 1277 runs alongside his name at an average of 51.08, and has scored five centuries and five half-centuries.

His form in the various one-day competitions, headlined by 453 runs in the National League, has also been sound. While he has not reached three figures in limited-overs matches, ten half-centuries have come his way and he has played a crucial role in laying the platform for a number of important victories for the club.

"Greg came to the club with a terrific track record in Australia and has contributed fantastically both on the field and in the dressing room, where he has helped out the younger players," Nottinghamshire cricket manager Clive Rice said.

"He has been consistent and at times has been a delight to watch but we have struggled to take 20 wickets in games this season and so have decided to go for someone who can make a major contribution with the ball."

Blewett joins Essex's Stuart Law as two Australians now certain not to return to their current county teams next year. Despite continuing to score runs in prolific fashion in his sixth northern summer at Essex, Law has been a victim of internal division at the club and is shaping as a prized potential recruit for a number of other county clubs. His name has already been strongly linked with Lancashire.

Darren Lehmann (Yorkshire) and Jamie Cox (Somerset) are two Australians certain to be retained at their clubs, while Ian Harvey (Gloucestershire), Michael Hussey (Northamptonshire) and Martin Love (Durham) are also considered likely to return.

The future of the remaining Australian imports to have appeared in county ranks this year - Michael DiVenuto (Derbyshire), Jimmy Maher (Glamorgan), Andrew Symonds (Kent), Daniel Marsh (Leicestershire), Murray Goodwin (Sussex) and Andy Bichel (Worcestershire) - is yet to be decided.

© 2001 CricInfo Ltd