LONDON: Former England batsman Ian Bell has decided to retire at the end of the 2020 domestic season.
The 38-year-old last played for England in 2015, but has been a regular for Warwickshire — the only county he has represented during his career — since then.
Bell has scored 7,727 runs in 118 Tests, including 22 hundreds, at a fine average of 42.69.
He had missed the whole of the 2019 campaign through injury, but has struggled this term with a top score of 28 across all formats.
“It’s true when they say you know when the time’s right, and unfortunately, my time is now,” said Bell in a statement.
“While my hunger and enthusiasm for the sport that I love remain as strong as ever, my body simply can’t keep up with the demands of the game to the standard of which I expect of myself.”
Bell was the last member from either sie who played in England’s celebrated 2005 Ashes win still playing first-class cricket and he also helped his country win the urn against their arch-rivals on four further occasions.
He also appeared in 161 ODIs and eight T20 internationals.
