Thursday 27 June 2019 16:19, UK
Marcus Trescothick will retire from professional cricket at the end of the 2019 domestic season, bringing to an end 27 seasons with Somerset.
The 43-year-old opening batsman also played 76 Tests for England between 2000 and 2006, scoring 5,825 runs at an average of 43.79.
He was a key member of the team who famously recaptured the Ashes in 2005 - and added 4,335 runs in one-day internationals.
He made his Somerset debut in 1993 and has scored 19,654 first-class runs at 41.11 - with a county record 52 centuries.
He also holds Somerset records for List A runs (7,374) and first-class catches (445).
He was awarded an MBE in the 2006 New Year honours list, along with the rest of the England team, and the Marcus Trescothick Stand at Somerset's Taunton ground was opened in 2008.
"It's been an incredible 27 years and I've loved every minute of it," Trescothick told the official Somerset website.
"However, everything has to come to an end eventually.
"I've been discussing my future with the club and my family for a while and we felt that now was the appropriate time to make this announcement, in order for both the club and I to put plans in place.
"There's still a lot of the season left, and I'll be doing everything I can to put in performances for the second XI in order to force my way back into contention for the first team.
"This club, the members and the supporters mean so much to me. There are so many memories that I will cherish forever, and the club will always hold a truly special place in my heart.
"27 years is a long time, but it's gone incredibly quickly.
"I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to do something that I love for that length of time, and I'm extremely grateful for all the support that I've received throughout this remarkable journey."
Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry said: "Marcus Trescothick is one of the finest players that this country has ever produced, and his record on the field of play speaks for itself.
"His passion and enthusiasm for the game of cricket is infectious, and his work ethic is phenomenal. He is the absolute personification of what a professional sportsman should aspire to be.
"Whilst his playing record is there for all to see, what you can't measure is the positive influence that he has behind the scenes.
"He leads by example in everything that he does, and the way that he goes about his business is second to none.
"Marcus has become part of the very fabric of this club and I'm sure that I speak for everyone associated with Somerset Cricket when I thank him for everything that he has done for the club."
