Nixon announces retirement

Paul Nixon could play the final game of his distinguished career on Saturday, when Leicestershire host Kent in the FLt20

Leicestershire’s former England wicketkeeper Paul Nixon is to call time on his professional career this weekend.

Nixon, 40, has announced he will retire after Saturday’s Friends Life t20 quarter-final against Kent, ending a 24-year first-class career. However, should Leicestershire progress, he will be available to feature on finals day.

The match brings Nixon full circle, with the first three years of his career coming at Canterbury before he embarked on a two-decade association with the Foxes.

Nixon played 19 one-day internationals for England in the 2007 Commonwealth Bank Series and the subsequent World Cup in the West Indies, picking up 297 runs, 20 catches and three stumpings.

He also appeared in one international Twenty20 against Australia.

But it was at domestic level that Nixon excelled, featuring in the County Championship-winning sides of 1996 and 1998 and scoring over 12,000 first-class runs.

The Carlisle-born gloveman, known as one of county cricket’s true characters, said: “My body knows now. I can’t do it the way I want to do it anymore.

“I can’t keep to those high standards anymore. All of my mentors said to me that you’ll know when the time is right and the time has come. I’ve thought about it for a few months now and am at ease with it. It’s time for the youngsters to have their journeys now.

“I’ve met some amazing people along the way and have some special memories. I’ve loved every ball on the pitch and every moment I’ve been involved in off the pitch too. It’s a very special life and I’ve made sure that I’ve never taken it for granted.

“The Leicester public has been absolutely phenomenal towards me and I want to thank them for all of their support.”

Leicestershire batsman James Taylor, who will captain England Lions this week in their match against Sri Lanka A at Scarborough, paid tribute to his veteran team-mate.

Taylor told ecb.co.uk: "It’s going to be sad to see Paul retire but he’s had an amazing career and has helped me a lot.

"I’ve learned a lot from him over the last three or four years. He’s an amazing guy to have around the dressing room.

"He’s been a great ambassador for the sport, a great role model and someone we all look up to. I wish him well in whatever he chooses to do now and hopefully I’ll see quite a bit of him."