Khawaja and Hauritz join NSW exodus

Australian state side New South Wales lost two more top players to a rival yesterday, with former Test players Usman Khawaja and Nathan Hauritz joining reigning Sheffield Shield champions Queensland. Queensland said they had signed the players on two-year deals a day after it was announced that former Test opening batsman Phillip Hughes had left NSW for South Australia. Khawaja and Hauritz agreed terms after each approached Queensland about the opportunity to continue their careers with the Bulls, Queensland Cricket said. Off-spinner Hauritz will start pre-season training with Queensland next week while Khawaja, 25, is playing for Derbyshire in England and is expected to join his new team-mates in September. Khawaja and Hauritz, along with Hughes, all missed out on central contracts with Cricket Australia last week. Pakistan-born Khawaja, a left-handed top order batsman who has played six Tests for Australia, said: “The decision to join Queensland has been the toughest decision of my career, particularly because I had to leave my home, my mates, my family.” from gulf times.