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“Today I announce my retirement and the end of my career as a professional cricketer,” Cook said in a statement on Essex’s website.
“It’s not easy to say goodbye. For more than two decades, cricket has been more than just my job. It has allowed me to experience places I never dreamed of going, and to be part of teams that achieved things I could never have dreamed of. It is possible, and more importantly, to form deep friendships that will last a lifetime.
“From the eight-year-old boy who first played for Wickham Bishops Under-11s until now, I have ended up with a strange feeling of sadness mixed with pride. Although above all, I am extremely happy.
“This is the right time to end this part of my life. I have always given everything I had to be the best player I could be, but now I want to make room for the new generation to take over.” “.
Cook, who made his debut for Essex in 2003, stepped away from Test cricket at the end of the summer of 2018, having scored more than 12,000 Test runs for his country. He first played for England on the tour of India in 2005-06 and made 161 appearances in Tests – captaining 59 of them – as well as captaining the ODI side.
After coming up with a hundred against India at The Oval, Cook continued to play in his home country for five more seasons, helping the club lift the Division One title in 2019, as well as the Bob Willis Trophy the following year. His form has remained impressive, with nearly 1,000 first-class runs in 2022 and 836 this summer – although his average fell to 33.44 and there were just one hundred, taking his first-class tally to 74.
His last appearance came in the defeat to Northamptonshire at Wantage Road last month, as Essex’s hopes of beating Surrey to the title were finally dashed.
“I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Essex County, the county I joined when I was 12,” Cook added. “I want to say a huge thank you to everyone at Chelmsford for everything they have done for me. All the fans, members and staff have always been so supportive, patient and generous.
“When I finished my international career, I had no idea that I would get an additional five years to play for Essex. I can’t put into words how much fun we had during that period. And for that I would like to thank head coach Anthony McGrath.”, Ryan Ten Dewichat and Tom Westley, captains of both teams during that period, and all the players. I won’t miss tying up my pad and facing the new ball, but I will miss being in the Eagles’ locker room.
“Playing a full part in the season in which Essex won the County Championship in 2019 is one of my favorite achievements in the game. I look forward to watching Essex continue to punch above its weight, and hopefully win many more trophies in the years to come.”
“There are so many people I would like to thank, too many to mention. However, none of this would have been possible without Graham Gooch. As a seven-year-old boy, Gooch was my hero. He became my coach, mentor and friend.” Above all Something, great friend. “I dread to think how many hours he spent helping me become the best player I could be.”
Overall, Cook scored more than 26,000 first-class runs during his professional career – 11,337 of them for Essex – plus a further 7,500 runs in limited overs cricket.
In recent years, he has combined playing for Essex with work in the media, particularly for the BBC as a broadcaster. Special match test Summary, contributing home to the family farm.
“Even though my England career ended in 2018, I am still amazed by the amount of affection I receive from England fans,” he said. “Wherever you travelled, you were there with your enthusiasm, kind words and unwavering faith. English cricket truly has the best fans in the world.
“I will never diminish the privilege I have had to play cricket. I will always be grateful for what the game has given me. Now, I hope the farmers of Bedfordshire will find room for an ‘all-rounder’ somewhere in their lower lives.” to request.”
