Sussex want Murray Goodwin to be part of their long-term plans after offering the Zimbabwean a new contract.

But while he looks forward to continuing his career with the county, it's the end of the road for Tony Cottey.

The 38-year-old Welshman was hoping to get another year after a successful return to the side in the second half of the season.

But the former Glamorgan batsman has been released along with all-rounder Kevin Innes on a hectic day of coming-and-going at the County Ground.

New contracts have been offered to Jason Lewry, Mark Davis, Michael Yardy and Carl Hopkinson while left-arm spinner Chris Nash and batsmen Neil Turk have been promoted from the Academy and offered places on a professional staff which will again comprise 18 players.

In addition, the county have offered contract extensions to Mushtaq Ahmed, Richard Montgomerie, Robin Martin-Jenkins, Luke Wright and Tim Ambrose while Eastbourne's Sean Heather, the leading run scorer in the Sussex League this season, has been offered an extended three-month trial, starting next April.

Director of cricket Peter Moores was told to trim his playing budget by £100,000 so it was always likely that one of his big earners had to go.

But he admitted it was a tough decision to release Cottey who had six seasons at Hove and is one of the few players in the game with Championship-winners' medals at two counties, having helped Glamorgan win the title in 1997 before joining Sussex two years later.

Cottey was given a year's extension after helping Sussex clinch their first Championship last season and was convinced it would be his last when he didn't get into the team during the first half of the summer.

But he was brought back in place of the out-of-form Ambrose at the end of July and promptly made 185 against Kent, only three runs short of his highest score for the county.

A week later he claimed career-best one-day bowling figures of 5-49 against Somerset.

Moores said: "It is very sad that Tony will not be playing for the club in 2005.

"He has been a fantastic servant of Sussex and his contribution both on and off the field has been an integral part of the club's recent successes."

Goodwin will spend the next few days mulling over Sussex's offer before returning to Australia immediately after the final game of the season against Surrey finishes on Sunday.

He has some tough decisions to make. Sussex can only give him the security of a long-term contract of three years if he returns as a Kolpak registration.

But doing that could jeopardise his future with Western Australia where he would have to be signed as an overseas player when his current contract expires at the end of the Australian season next March.

If he came back as a Kolpak registration, it would also give Sussex the option of signing a second overseas player for next season in addition to Mushtaq although that largely depends on whether Sussex can raise the finance from sponsors to finance it.

I understand Goodwin rejected the club's initial terms and three other counties are also after his signature, but he has made no secret of the fact that he wants to remain with Sussex for whom he has a career average of 46.35 and was prepared to compromise on his financial demands.