Australian-born Sussex fast bowler Mitchell Clayden has announced his retirement from professional cricket at the end of this season.
Clayden, 38, was born in New South Wales, but used his British passport to play county cricket in Yorkshire, Durham, Kent and Sussex, and also played domestic cricket in New Zealand. He was part of the Durham team that won three County Championships and a Friends Provident Trophy, and won promotion with Kent in 2018.
Clayden was an excellent death bowler with a fine yorker in ODI and T20 cricket, and took 310 first-class wickets at 31.90 with the red ball. He is expected to remain in the game as a coach, and he already has experience working as an assistant coach with the Sydney Sixers.
"After 17 years as a professional cricketer, I have decided that 2021 will be my last," Clayden said in a statement. "I'm very proud that my shocking rig has got me through 371 games - over a hundred in each format - but all the overs are taking their toll, and everything is starting to get worse. I look forward to the 2021 season." Commit to finish and finish on high.
"Many thanks to Canterbury, Central Districts, Durham, Yorkshire, Kent and Sussex who gave me the opportunity to play all these years and all the coaches and support staff at those clubs who helped me.
"I want to give a special thank you to my family in the UK and back home in Australia. I will miss life in the changing room more than anything. The fun I've had with so many people over the years is something I love." Will give me wonderful memories for a lifetime."
Clayden has only sporadically played for Sussex since signing for them in 2019, appearing in four first-class matches and two T20Is. He is yet to feature in the first team in 2021. He was banned for nine games last year following a ball-tampering controversy in which he applied hand sanitizer to the ball, which also saw the club score points.