Former England wicket-keeper James Foster is to retire from cricket when his Essex contract expires at the end of the season and move into coaching.
The 38-year-old rose through the ranks at Essex from his days as a junior cricketer when he also represented England Under-19s.
He went on to make seven Test appearances for England and 11 in one-day internationals, while at domestic level he captained Essex, based in Chelmsford, east of London, to the 2017 County Championship title.
“It has been a real privilege to play for my home county and I am extremely proud to have represented England,” said Foster, widely regarded as one of the best wicket-keepers of his generation, in a statement.
“Whilst playing has now come to an end, I am incredibly excited about the next phase of my career,” added Foster, who has moved into coaching roles both at school level and with a number of Twenty20 sides, including Australia’s Sydney Thunder.
