Ryan Sidebottom to retire from professional cricket at the end of 2017 season

What’s the story?

Left-arm pacer Ryan Sidebottom has decided to call it quits from first class cricket after the end of this season. In a career that spanned twenty years, the 39-year old played for Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, as well as the England national side.

“There's a tear in my eye whenever I think about not playing professional cricket again, a game that's given me so much over the years. But it's the right time and I want to go out on a high, rather than fade away, as that's just not the sort of guy I am”.

In case you didn’t know…

BREAKING: Yorkshire & England cricketer Ryan Sidebottom has announced his decision to retire at the end of the 2017 season.#YourYorkshire pic.twitter.com/5cRUzmYewK

— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) February 22, 2017

The 6’4’’ pacer, who made his first class debut for Yorkshire way back in 1997, played a total of 222 games, picking 737 wickets at an average of 23.90.

He received his first England cap in 2001, joining the side against the touring Pakistan team, where he returned wicketless. He made his ODI debut in October the same year.

After his first Test, it took him six years to return to the England whites, making a comeback against the West Indies in 2007 to kickstart an extended run that saw him play 22 Tests.

"Having the career I've had, I feel very privileged."@RyanSidebottom to retire end of 2017https://t.co/jebnhlmioC#YourYorkshire pic.twitter.com/x28n0vvEaU

— Yorkshire CCC (@YorkshireCCC) February 22, 2017

The heart of the matter

Part of the 2010 World T20 winning side, Sidebottom was a regular in the England Test side from 2007-2009, picking up a total of 79 wickets. He was famous for claiming Test cricket’s 37th hat-trick against New Zealand in 2008, as well as being part of the World T20 winning England squad of 2010.

After falling out of favour from all formats after 2010, Sidebottom continued to play for Yorkshire in the domestic circuit.

What’s next?

Having last played a first-class game in September 2016, he will aim to win the County Championship for the sixth time, previously winning the tournament twice with Nottinghamshire and thrice with Yorkshire.

Post his retirement, Sidebottom will work on his two academies, in York and Leeds, with the motive of bringing out the best of young talent to the fore.

Sportskeeda’s take

With an unruly mop of hair that made him instantly recognisable, Sidebottom managed to trouble the best with his probing left arm pace in the limited international career that he had. Having played twenty years of first class cricket is a testimony to the wealth of talent that he possessed.

His focus now shifts to helping out underprivileged kids to take up the sport in his academy, which, which surely elicits applause, and serves as an example for the rest of the cricketers to follow.