Yorkshire legend Katherine Sciver-Brunt has announced her immediate retirement from international cricket.
The Barnsley-born right-arm seamer, who made her England debut in 2004, has played 267 times for her country, taking 335 wickets across all formats.
In that time, Sciver-Brunt, who played exactly 100 times for Yorkshire women, won three World Cups and four Ashes series and topped the wicket-taking charts for England Women in both IT20 and ODI cricket.
In March, Sciver-Brunt was handed Honorary Life Membership of Yorkshire CCC.
She said: “Well here I am, 19 years later, at the end of my international journey. I thought I’d never be able to reach this decision, but I have – and it’s been the hardest one of my life.
“I never had any dreams or aspirations to do what I’ve done, I only ever wished to make my family proud of me. And what I’ve achieved has gone way beyond that.
“I have so much to be thankful for, cricket has given me a purpose, a sense of belonging, security, many golden memories and best friends that will last a lifetime.
“Of the trophies and titles I could have wished to achieve, I have reached them all, but my greatest achievement is the happiness that I have found in Nat (Sciver-Brunt, wife).
Photo by Jan Kruger-ICC/ICC via Getty Images. Katherine and Nat Sciver-Brunt
“It has been a huge honour representing England for so long, and I’d like to thank all of the England cricket family past and present for making my time a special one.
“The supporters – you are awesome. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to do what it is that we love, and the atmosphere you guys create is irreplaceable.
“The biggest thanks I have though goes to my family, they are my biggest fans and greatest support without which I wouldn’t have made this journey at all.”
Deputy chief executive officer and England Women’s managing director Clare Connor, also Sciver-Brunt’s first England captain, said: “Katherine has done so much for the game of cricket and for women’s cricket in particular. She has been an unbelievable role-model, giving us everything she has for nearly 20 years.
“When cricketers retire, we rightly celebrate their skill, their runs and wickets, their records and accolades. But what Katherine has given the game of cricket extends far beyond those things.
“Her most powerful impact has been through her human qualities – through her passion to take our sport forward, her care for her teammates, her desire to always come back better and stronger despite significant injury setbacks. Through the time she has spent with fans, signing autographs, having her photograph taken with so many girls and boys who have been inspired by her.
“Many of those children will have watched Katherine play over the years and will have been inspired to start playing themselves. That’s an incredibly powerful legacy, of which she should be so proud.
“Katherine began her career in a completely different era from the one we are in now, and we owe her a debt of gratitude for the part she has played in progressing our game, raising standards and bringing a new audience to women’s cricket.
“She is quite simply a legend of our sport, and I’d like to extend my thanks and the thanks of everyone at the ECB and across the game to her.
“We wish her all the best as she steps away from a remarkable international cricket career.”
Sciver-Brunt, 37, had already announced her retirement from regional cricket with the Northern Diamonds, but she will continue to play in The Hundred.with the Trent Rockets.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
