Jake Needham bids farewell to professional cricket - Cricket News Update
The lanky Derbyshire off-spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jake-Needham-c65352, on Monday announced retirement from professional cricket, calling a day on his six-year-long first-class cricket career.
The 25-year-old Portsmouth-born off-spinner had asked the Derbyshire County Cricket Club to release him from the final year of his contract, a request that was duly accepted by the county, ending
Needham's six-year stay at the County Ground, Derby.
Needham told the media reporters that though he has ended his playing career with Derbyshire, he will continue working with the club in the media and marketing department. The offie is also looking forward to explore opportunities
in the financial services.
"I felt it was the right time for me to look at a career outside county cricket," said Needham while talking to media reporters on Monday. "It is, therefore, with great optimism and enthusiasm that I take a position working
behind the scenes with the club," he added further.
The gangling off-spinner, who has also played for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 U-19 team, made his first-class debut with the Derbyshire County in August 2005. During his six year-long stay at County Grounds, Needham played 19 First class, 42 List
A and 14 Twenty20 matches, claiming 35, 26 and 8 wickets in each format respectively. His last appearance for Derbyshire had come in May 2011 in a Clydesdale Bank 40 match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Yorkshire-c867.
He captained the Derbyshire second XI during the second half of the 2011 season.
The departing spin bowler thanked the Derbyshire head coach, Karl Krikken, and the rest of the staff and players for their support during his stay at County Grounds.
“http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Karl-Matthew-Krikken-c70321 and the rest of the club have been fantastically supportive throughout this period and I would like to thank them all sincerely,” said Needham.
"I've been involved with Derbyshire since playing junior cricket at the age of 11… I have a great affection and affinity for the place and the people. I am, therefore, relishing the chance to help the club in any capacity possible,"
he added further.
The lanky off-spinner has also been appointed as the skipper of Ockbrook and Borrowash, who play in the Derbyshire Premier League.
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