Hussain retires from all first class cricket

[Occasional Fan]

Well - it surprised me! Did anyone else expect it to be this final?

[flanflinger]

After Monday it didn't surpise me at all.

1. He has always pushed the case for Youth, and Strauss made that decision easier
2. He wanted to go before he was pushed and as he said didn't want it "to get messy"
3. He wanted to leave with dignity
4. I can't imagine him playing County Cricket just for the money

It proves ultimatly that he matured from a young selfish Cricketer, to a man of decency who played for his country first.

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

Well - it surprised me! Did anyone else expect it to be this final?

He pushed himself into a corner.

He had to go now, because a) he'd want to go at the top and the Lords century put him there, however briefly.
b) he'd want to go when everyone was speaking highly of him.
c) in four matches time (unlikely I know but...) he could've picked up eight more ducks, or low scores at any rate.

It was the perfect time.

So congratulations to Nasser. I've always thought that he was a superb fielder, an excellent motivator, a gritty competitor and a wonderful captain.

Good luck for the future sir, I hope to hear him putting Messrs. Reeve, Cowdrey and Nicholas firmly in their places, though it'll be difficult as I hate their styles so much that I tend not to listen to them.

[Victor Frankenstein]

wow.

I guess like flan i'm not shocked surprised but i am surprised that he's quit the whole lot all at once.

I think it's a great way to go though, he couldn't top it, it's a shame that the fans won't get a chance to say goodbye properly like they do with most other retiring players, especially as any non-partisan england fan realises how much nasser did to change english cricket around.

Not that he would read this, but just for the sense of occasion i'd like to say a big thankyou to nasser for everything he's done for english cricket in his time, i don't think we would have been half the team we are today if it wasn't for him and his time in charge. He has turned the team around from being the laughing stock to being hard fighting and hard to beat, we don't have the natural talent of some of the other countries and don't have the sort of setup that teams like australia do, but we punch above our weight with the players we do have because of the single mindedness that nass instilled in the team. I do not believe we would have beaten pakistan or sri lanka away if it wasn't for him, and even as close as the last windies series and the lords test it might have been a different story if he hadn't played. If even half of the next generation of players have the same kind of passion, dedication and pride in playing for england that he has we'll be a very good side for a long time.

[Occasional Fan]

He also said that the situation will only sink in when England are 20-2 at Headingley and he realises that he won't be going out to help sort it out. He recovered pretty quickly, saying that hopefully it won't happen and England will be 500-2 - and I hope he's right. Whatever happens, I agree, FF, that Hussain has shown a maturity which not all sportsmen possess. There comes a point when we all have to say, whatever line we are in, that we have done all we can do and it is time for someone else to take over. England owes Hussain a huge debt of gratitude for long and loyal service as player and captain. I look forward to reading the tributes in the papers tomorrow.

[Electric Vic]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

Well - it surprised me! Did anyone else expect it to be this final?

Surprised - had no idea what he was thinking, but had persuaded myself that if he was going to quit test cricket he would have done it on Monday. As far as I'm concerned he is still worth a place in the England team and I am sure the selectors would have picked him for the rest of the season.

The retirement from all cricket suggests there's more to his decision than not wanting to stand in Strauss' way. He seems to have a bit of a thing about his age - last year he quit as captain because he felt wrong in the team.

[Victor Frankenstein]

Originally Posted by Electric Vic

The retirement from all cricket suggests there's more to his decision than not wanting to stand in Strauss' way.

i'm not so sure, he's long been of the ian botham line of once you retire from being england eligible you should leave all cricket so the next generation can take your place, so that bit didn't surprise me and is consistent with his views on things, i was more surprised that he didn't at least finish the season with essex.

[Oliver]

Originally Posted by Victor Frankenstein

i'm not so sure, he's long been of the ian botham line of once you retire from being england eligible you should leave all cricket so the next generation can take your place, so that bit didn't surprise me and is consistent with his views on things, i was more surprised that he didn't at least finish the season with essex.

Yes it's interesting that he paraphrased Botham's own retirement speech - in mentioning the breakdown of his body.

Botham said something along the lines of "I hate sitting on the edge of my bed in the morning waiting for my body to start working."

As an ageing Sunday cricketer I know something of what they're talking about...but how much worse must it be when you're in your late thirties and you've just played seven hours a day for five days in a row.

I wouldn't be able to a) put my socks on, b) put my trousers on or c) get down the stairs!

If the body is breaking down, you have to stop.

[high_on_linseed]

Yes, I did. You can read my previous thread if you dont believe it. He even admitted it was for selfish reasons, as I had stated ( ; That's the great thing about Nas. he cant help but tell the truth, and his bull**** threshold is extremely low.

I will say what I said in my previous thread. There goes my hero. Not the greatest batsman I've ever seen on a cricket field by any stretch of the imagination, but one of the greatest fighters. And one of my favourtie living Englishmen.

Thanks Nasser

[Whips_off_the_bails]

An emotional farewell, with flashes of humour ("great match in which I've taken catches, scored runs, and run out two players - one of them on my own side"), and undoubtedly a touch of theatre.

In the short-term England are definitely a weaker team without The Saviour of English Cricket (I shall henceforth evermore refer to Nasser Hussain by this title), and the bookies have probably shortened the odds on a New Zealand victory in this series.