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English fast bowler Steven Finn has announced retirement from all forms of cricket. The veteran is calling it quits after a knee injury has kept him from playing games for the majority of the year. Finn retires having played for England 125 times overall, with 36 Test appearances for the country. The retirement was confirmed to the public via a statement released by Finn, in which he spoke about what an honour it was to represent his country and to play the sport he loves professionally at an elite level for so many years. He also opened up on the injury struggle that ultimately led him to make the decision.
The player opened his statement by saying that he had admitted defeat to the injury struggles that have gnawed away at him for almost a year. It is no longer feasible, for Finn, to continue playing at the highest level and thus he has decided to forego the pressure and stress of such a physically demanding sport in favour of watching from the sidelines.
He said, “Today I am retiring from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. I have been fighting a battle with my body for the last 12 months and have admitted defeat to it.”
Finn also talked about his journey with Middlesex and Sussex, as well as with the England national team.
The veteran stated, “I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to play cricket as my vocation since I made my debut for Middlesex in 2005. The journey hasn’t always been smooth, but I have loved it nonetheless…I want to thank Sussex Cricket for their support over the last 12 months especially and for welcoming me wholeheartedly into the Club at the beginning of last season. It really is a great place to play cricket and I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to play more of a part on the field since joining the club. I retire with some amazing memories with England, Middlesex and Sussex, shared with fantastic people. Those will live with me forever.”
Finn retires as three-time Ashes winner
Steven Finn spent most of his career at his home country club of Middlesex, before moving to Sussex in 2022. There he took 21 wickets in 19 games. Finn took 570 wickets in first-class cricket.
The player played 36 Tests, 69 ODIs and 21 T20Is and took 125 Test wickets in his career. Notably, Finn took 14 wickets during the 2010-11 Ashes series and 12 wickets in the 2015 Ashes series, which England won.
Sussex head coach Paul Fabrace said, “Steven has been a fantastic bowler for Middlesex, Sussex and England. I have had the real pleasure of watching him develop from a young bowler in the pathway to being three times Ashes winner. In our short time together here at Hove, Steven has been an outstanding role model, a top professional and above all a fantastic person.”
