Somerset veteran James Hildreth announces retirement from cricket
Despite having a brilliant domestic career, Hildreth never
got the opportunity to represent the national side.
Somerset county club’s legend James Hildreth has announced
his retirement from cricket and is set to hang his boots after his contract
expires at the end of the 2022 season. Hildreth made his debut for Somerset in 2003
and since then has represented the club throughout his entire professional
career.
The 37-year-old has played over 700 matches across formats for
the club, scoring over 27000 runs. Notably, Hildreth is the leading T20 run-getter
for the side. He retires from the game as the third-highest run-getter for the
side.
“It feels like the right time to start a new chapter in my
life, and I’m excited about what the future holds. I left school at 18 and have
spent the last 20 years with the club. It’s been my life, and I’ve loved every
minute of it. The club and cricket as a whole have given me and my family so
much over the last 20 years, and I’ve got nothing but fondness and love for the
club, and that will continue for the rest of my life,” he said in his statement.
Somerset head coach Jason Kerr had some nice words to say about
the legend. Kerr hailed the batter for his incredible consistency over the
years and recalled some of his best knocks for the team.
“James has had an outstanding career, and I’m sure that
we’ll see a deserving outpouring of best wishes and superlatives for him over
the next few weeks. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to see him play some
outstanding innings over the years, and two that spring to mind are his hundred
not out in a T20 against Glamorgan when were dead and buried and a remarkable
hundred that he got with a broken foot in the Championship,” Kerr said in a
statement.
Notably, despite having a brilliant domestic career,
Hildreth never got the opportunity to represent the national side.