GAVIN Hamilton said today that he was "sad and disappointed" that his Yorkshire career had come to an end but he did not think his parting with the county club was unexpected.

Hamilton was one of two capped Yorkshire players released by mutual consent from their contracts yesterday, the other being Ryan Sidebottom whose departure was revealed exclusively in the Evening Press.

Three other players with first team experience - Gary Fellows, Scott Richardson and Pieter Swanepoel - have also not been offered contracts for 2004 and leaving Headingley with them are Joe Ellis from the Academy and Scholarship players Thomas Dimaline and Craig Wiseman.

Scottish-born Hamilton, 29, one of the most effervescent and likeable members of Yorkshire's first team squad, reached the peak of his career when he played for England against South Africa in Johannesburg in November, 1999, but he bagged a pair and failed to take a wicket as England crumbled by an innings and 21 runs.

The unlucky Hamilton was not called upon again for the rest of the series and what had developed into a sparkling career with Yorkshire as their leading all-rounder began to go downhill at the start of last season when he lost all confidence in his bowling and was axed from the side.

Hamilton hoped that he had cured the problem by the start of this season but it quickly re-surfaced and he was picked for only one Championship game and a handful of one-dayers. He played solely as a batsman and in his only Championship innings against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham he hit 68.

"What has happened is just one of those things and is not the club's fault but I am still very sad about it," said Hamilton. "I have tried over the past two or three months to give my bowling a good burst at league and second team level but it never quite worked out.

"What is also frustrating is that I think my batting has been better than at any time in the last five or six years and I regret not getting more chances but Yorkshire wanted me to bowl as well as to bat in order to balance the side."

Hamilton said he would be considering his future but would probably return to Scotland and play his cricket there.

Announcing details of the release of players, Yorkshire chief executive Colin Graves read a statement from Sidebottom which said: "It is a real wrench for me to leave Yorkshire. I have a long family tradition with the club, having come through the Academy and followed in my father's footsteps in playing first-class cricket for Yorkshire and England.

"The Yorkshire players and supporters have been fantastic to me and I wish the players and the club all the very best for the future.

"I am currently in negotiations with several other counties who have shown interest in me. It is my aspiration to build on the success I've had with Yorkshire and so win back my place in the Test side."

Contrary to some rumours, Darren Gough is not retiring but will continue to be with Yorkshire next season and Graves said he hoped he would play in every match.

"I am very happy with the squad of players we have now," he said.

"What I want are players who would run through a brick wall for Yorkshire."

Graves confirmed that he had spoken to Dermot Reeve about some involvement with Yorkshire but he had also spoken to several other people including former captain David Byas and ex-England stalwart Alec Stewart and nothing definite had been decided yet.

Yorkshire were also re-structuring the coaching side of operations and details would be released when the people they required were in place.

Updated: 11:22 Thursday, September 25, 2003