Hampshire legend Shaun Udal has turned down the chance to play in the Indian Premier League.

As captain of Twenty20 Cup holders Middlesex Crusaders, Udal would probably have fetched more money than Hampshire veteran Dominic Cork - but the 39-year-old has shown loyalty towards his county.

Udal issued the following statement on the Middlesex CCC website after being surprised to see his name on the list of players up for auction.

He said: “I have decided, after some soul searching and advice from people I trust in cricket, not to enter myself into the auction for a variety of reasons.

“One of the main reasons being the Middlesex captaincy, which is something that I really treasure, and if I did get taken on by one of the IPL franchises I would have been coming back after a month or so of the season and it would have an unsettling effect on the squad.

“I’ve always preached loyalty and hopefully now I’ve shown it by not going down the IPL route.

“Middlesex were kind enough to offer me a contract extension to the end of the 2010 season and I feel it’s only right that I am as loyal to them as they have been to me.”

Angus Fraser, Middlesex’s new Managing Director of Cricket, said: “I’m delighted that Shaun has chosen to make this decision, although I would have been equally pleased for him had he chosen to go and play in the Indian Premier League.

"The landscape of cricket is changing and playing in the IPL would not only have been financially beneficial to Shaun, it would have provided him with an unforgettable experience.”