Ashley Giles to Announce His Retirement Tomorrow

[Collyisamackem]

Cricinfo - Giles set to announce retirement

It's a shame to see a career as honest as that of Ashley Giles' ended by injury, but the hip has got the better of him and Ashley will announce his retirement from cricket at The Oval tomorrow, Friday 10th August 2007.

It's saddening to me because, although I had expected it and Gilo's international time had been up for a long while, despite his limitations as a spinner he achieved far above his station and served England so well and reliably for a long time when we had no real spinning talent. His doggedness with the bat frustrated many a side, not least his fifty in the final Ashes-winning test at the same ground he will retire at tomorrow, The Oval, and he became a valued part of the England side which almost won every test it played in 2004 and won 6 series in a row - including the Ashes 2005. He was also a reliable gully fielder for a long time, despite his drop off Ricky Ponting in the Ashes 2006/07. Monty Panesar's emergence and prodigous talent, realised from the off in India in 2006, rightly sounded the death knell for Giles' career in the England team as his wicket-taking ability outweighed the contribution Giles would make, but it is sad to see that Giles couldn't play on in the county game for a few more years. He had his critics, at times incredibly harsh, but I valued his contribution to English international cricket and am sad to see him retire.

Ashley Fraser Giles, I salute you.

[engssmoothcriminal]

BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Ashes winner Giles set to retire

No great surprise as it had got to the stage when he was in real danger of causing himself serious long term damage had he continued to pursue his playing career but sad news none the less. A great servant first to Warwickshire then England (something that was often not properly appreciated) where he regularly made significant contributions to the sides success that often went unnoticed as the bigger names took the limelight.

His bowling was unfairly reviled for his limitations (some of Ted Dexter's comments on the India tour in 2001 were frankly a disgrace) but he did his job as the 5th bowler supporting the quicks in a defensive role and when conditions aided him (most notably in the subcontinent) he could prove highly effective. He also for a bog standard finger spiner did produce a number of memorable magic delivery's; having Dravid stumped at Headingly in 2002, Cairns bowled from over the wicket by a ball that pitched outside leg and hit off at Trent Bridge 2004, Lara drawn down the track and bowled through the gate at Lords to bring up his 100th test wicket in 2004, Martyn in a replica of the Cairns dismissal at Old Trafford in 2005.

His batting down at 8 is probably what will be most missed and the woeful tailend performance in this series against India highlight what a loss he has been in this department. Whilst he surprisingly never topped 60 it was the consistancy he displayed that made him so valuable and the priceless ability to regularly churn out 20's and 30's in pressure situations (most notably in the 2005 Ashes) that meant a tail that on paper (Hoggard at 9) was pretty average managed to be more effective than it had any right to. Throw in that through hours of hard work he turned himself into a more than useful gully fielder who had a great arm when he was in the outfield you had an extremely competent all round cricketer.

I hope I'm not alone in wishing him all the best in his future endeavours be they coaching, media or a career outside the world of cricket. A good bloke who despite his limitations in natural talent made the most of every last ounce of natural talent and turned himself into a very competent international player. Duncan Fletcher called him the finest professional he ever had the pleasure of working with and it's pretty hard to argue with that assessment.

EDIT; Sorry didn't see the other thread. So feel free to delete this or turn it into a Read v's Jones debate.

[Moss]

Nicely put Colly.

I'm sorry he's had to retire through injury, and wish him luck in the next phase of his career.

[greg]

The right decision though as i would hate to see him struggling later in life having attempted to return again when there was no need to.

Sad for it to end like it has but we will always be grateful for what he did for the side in helping to turn us round from duffers to winners.

[Speedboy Salesman]

Someone from the BBC said it best "He was never a world beater but let's salute a man who did a good job for England, showing great mental toughness in putting up with the stick he received" And he did get a LOT of stick. I'm thinking of the fallout of the 1st Test of the Ashes 2005, then he came back very well at the 2nd Test at Edgbaston. He served Warwickshire well, and I would've liked to him actually captain the Warwickshire 1st XI for a real long time.

[Mr Cricket]

I never actually understood I remember Giles as a great SLA for England how did he lose his job to Panser? or other spinners? I dont get that every time I played Cricket 07,05 ICC CRICKET captain and I was England I choose Giles as my Spinner and I made him my captain every time. I think it was the smile and SHADES. But can any one tell me how he lost his spot on eng team?

[arsalan660]

This is not good to retire due to any injury. But Giles is my best English spinner I have seen. But now when he will be fit it will be difficult for his to return for the team because Panesar has done a good job but lets wish him luck for his upcoming career.

[Notts Exile]

Gilo will be remembered for always giving his all in everything he did. He made the most of his talent. He contributred as much as anyone to the Ashes victory in 05. A real shame he has to retire due to injury but there's no point in causing long term damage.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Originally Posted by Uham

I never actually understood I remember Giles as a great SLA for England how did he lose his job to Panser? or other spinners? I dont get that every time I played Cricket 07,05 ICC CRICKET captain and I was England I choose Giles as my Spinner and I made him my captain every time. I think it was the smile and SHADES. But can any one tell me how he lost his spot on eng team?

He was a spinner who couldnt spin it much but could bat Ok if it came to the crunch. Always did well on indian subcontinent. Always tried hard, had strops when people said he was pants but knew there wasnt any better options around. Highly unlikely that he would ever get panesar out of the side.

[Mr Cricket]

I know he was a batter too so basically he was an allrounder?