Friday 5 June 2015 11:50, UK
Somerset and England wicket-keeper Craig Kieswetter has announced his retirement from cricket due to a serious eye injury.
The 27-year-old, who was man of the match when England won the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2010, was injured while batting for his county against Northamptonshire last summer.
Kieswetter played 46 one-day internationals for England, scoring 1,054 runs at an average of 30.11, and he scored 526 runs in his 25 Twenty20 internationals, with a strike-rate of 111.91 per 100 balls.
He was struck in the eye by a delivery from David Willey, breaking his eye socket as well as his nose, and although he returned briefly towards the end of the year and played in South Africa over the winter, he realised his vision had not recovered sufficiently and took another break.
But Kieswetter, who was born in Johannesburg, has now decided to retire completely. In a statement, he said: “After being given the opportunity to take some time off and step away from the game, I’ve come to the decision that wasn’t the easiest to make, yet I feel is the right one.
"Having gone through that experience of my eye injury and everything it entailed, I feel mentally I will never again be the player that I was.”
"I have had a terrific career, with plenty of ups and occasional downs, and I am calling time on my career and walking away with no regrets.
"There are so many people that I am grateful to yet most importantly I need to thank my family, without whom nothing I have achieved would have been possible. Their sacrifices to help me to be able to achieve some fantastic success defines the importance of family.
"I’d also like to thank Somerset County Cricket Club for giving me the opportunity to play as a professional, to help mould me and for their loyalty. It is a Club full of so many incredible people and with a great bunch of supporters.
"I would especially like to thank Brian Rose, the former Director of Cricket who gave me my first contract at Somerset, Andy Hurry who was my first team coach and Darren Veness who helped to make me into what I am today. These three guys have been huge influences to me in my career."
Somerset CEO Guy Lavender added: “This is awful news both for Craig and the Club but we completely understand why he has come to this difficult decision.
“Craig has made an immense contribution to the success of Somerset and England since joining us. His performances with the bat and gloves have been outstanding and have endeared him to all cricket fans, not just at Somerset but right across the globe.
"On behalf of the General Committee and all Somerset Members and supporters I would like to publically thank Craig for his superb contribution to Somerset and to wish him all the best fortune in his future endeavours. He will be greatly missed and will always receive a very warm welcome at the County Ground.”
