http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shaun-Udal-c2505 finally retires from first-class cricket
The former off-spinner of England, Shaun Udal, has finally announced to leave first-class cricket.
Udal had originally decided to leave the game some three years before on 17th September 2007 after playing almost 20 seasons of first-class cricket for the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hampshire-c789 Cricket County Club. But the 41-year-old off-spinner was lured out of retirement
soon after by the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Middlesex-c817 Panthers, the county he has been playing for since.
The former English off-spinner guided the Panthers to the T20 Cup in the 2008 season and was duly rewarded for his efforts by being given the captaincy role of the club. Udal stepped down from his leadership duties role earlier this year.
He captained the Panthers in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stanford-c90880 20/20 in 2008 and the shortest version of game almost provided him a surprising comeback to the international arena at the age of 40, when he was picked up in the preliminary squad of England for the ICC World T20
Championship in 2009.
Making his Test debut in November 2005 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 18-22, 2006.
The off-spinner started his international career in 1994 with a one-day match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 on 19th May 1994. His final ODI was played at Rawalpindi cricket stadium Pakistan against the hosts in December 2005.
The best part of his 11-year international career was his 4-wicket haul conceding only 14 runs on the final day of the Mumbai Test in 2006 which helped the tourists seal to a famous series-leveling win against the Men in Blue.
After playing 22 seasons of first-class cricket for Hampshire and Middlesex, Udal calimed 822 wickets at a bowling average of 32.47. The impressive first-class off-spinner recorded 37 five-wicket hauls as well. He has also been pretty
well with the bat compiling nearly 8000 first-class runs at an average of 22.59. 410 List A matches earned 2966 runs and 458 wickets at 30.19.
"I am extremely lucky to have played the game I love for such a long period of time", said Shaun Udal. "It is obviously a sad day - waving goodbye to something very special is always difficult - but I look forward to getting stuck
in to the next chapter of my life".
Middlesex's managing director of cricket, Angus Fraser, hailed his contribution to the county. "During the two years he captained Middlesex, Shaun successfully pulled the team closer together and the dressing room is now a far happier
and united place. He has handed over to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Neil-Dexter-c2091 a club in far better shape than the one he inherited", Fraser said.
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