Former England all-rounder Paul Collingwood has announced on Thursday his retirement from all forms of cricket.
The 42-year-old will step down after Durham's final game of the County Championship series, against Middlesex on 24-27 September.
In a statement through the club, Collingwood said, "After much thought and deliberation, I have decided to announce my retirement from cricket at the end of the current season.
"I knew this day would eventually come but it hasn't made it any easier - although it's an emotional decision, I know that the time is right and I'm comfortable knowing that I have given every last ounce of energy to the sport.
"I have achieved so much with both Durham and England; far more than I ever imagined and I feel extremely privileged to have had such a long and rewarding career.
"It has been an honour to represent Durham County Cricket Club for the last 23 years and I would like to thank the staff, coaches, teammates and members for their tremendous support and for making my career so enjoyable. "I am excited about what the future holds for me and am looking forward to new challenges."
Collingwood was born in Durham and made his debut for the club in 1996. A three-time Ashes winner and the only man to captain England to a global trophy after leading them to glory in the 2010 World Twenty20, Collingwood played 68 Tests, 197 one-day internationals and 36 T20 matches.
He won three club awards at the end of last season, including player of the year, and players' player of the year. Collingwood has amassed 16,891 runs and 164 wickets in 304 first-class appearances throughout his career.
He was awarded an MBE in the 2006 New Year's Honours list for his part in England 2005 Ashes victory. It sparked a long-running feud with Australia's Shane Warne, who has been questioning whether he deserved the gong ever since.
Durham County Cricket Club chairman Sir Ian Botham said: "Paul is one of the greatest all-rounders to ever grace the game of cricket and to have him playing at Durham, his home county, for all these years has been an absolute privilege. – Agencies
0 comments:
Post a Comment