Sidebottom to retire after 2017 season

Ryan Sidebottom, the former England left-arm pace bowler, has announced he will retire after the 2017 English season to bring an end a 20-year career.

Sidebottom, 39, will bring the curtain down after the Specsavers County Championship season where he will attempt to win a sixth title having previously won twice with Nottinghamshire (2005 and 2010) and three times with Yorkshire (2001, 2014 and 2015).

"There's a tear in my eye whenever I think about not playing professional cricket again - a game that's given me so much over the years," he said. "But it's the right time and I want to go out on a high, rather than fade away as that's just not the sort of guy I am."

His international career, which spanned 22 Tests, 25 ODIs, and 18 T20Is, came to an end in 2010. He made his England debut in 2001, against Pakistan at Lord's, but it was not until a surprising recall in 2007 that he became a regular in the side. He played a key role in England's World T20 title in 2010.

Having won the Championship with Nottinghamshire in 2010, he returned to Yorkshire and became a pivotal figure in the powerful four-day team which developed under Jason Gillespie after they were promoted back to Division One in 2012.

In their back-to-back title-winning seasons of 2014 and 2015, Sidebottom claimed 89 Championship wickets and added a further 31 in 2016 - from nine appearances - when Yorkshire just fell short of a hat-trick of titles.

"I've always tried to play with a smile on my face and give 110% because I absolutely love this sport," he said. "It's been an honour to represent my home county, Yorkshire, play for my country and help make history at Nottinghamshire. I couldn't have asked for better team-mates and they've helped me become the cricketer I am today."

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire's director of cricket, said: "He's been a fantastic servant to Yorkshire, Notts and England over the years. Twenty years as a fast bowler is a remarkable achievement. He can be very proud of what he has achieved in cricket, an unprecedented level of success - it has been a fantastic career and he will be going out at the top.

"My thanks go to him for everything he's done for Yorkshire cricket and since he came back to us we've had some excellent success and he's been a major part of it."