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Grant Elliott retires from all forms of cricket

Elliott declared on his Instagram that he was walking away from the game having captained his side Birmingham Bears to a sixth-place finish.

We have seen the last of Grant Elliott in a competitive cricket match (Getty Images)

Grant Elliott, the former New Zealand allrounder, who quit international cricket in March 2017 in order to sign a Kolpak deal to play in England’s Natwest T20 Blast, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Having captained his side Birmingham Bears to a sixth-place finish, Elliott declared on his Instagram that he was walking away from the game.

“Started in Johannesburg finished in Birmingham,” Elliott wrote on Instagram. “I remember being 12 and writing down my life goals. To play in a World Cup, play international cricket and play county cricket. 27 years on and I have loved every minute of it.

“Thanks to all the memorable people I have met that have made this journey special. To family and friends who have given me unwavering support despite all the sacrifices I have had to make that have impacted them.”

Elliott, 39, moved to New Zealand in 2001, having played first-class cricket for South Africa. He played 83 first-class games, 211 List A games and 150 T20 games. For New Zealand, Elliott played five Tests, 83 ODIs and 17 T20Is.

A middle-order batsman and handy medium pacer, he was picked by New Zealand for the home Test series against England in early 2008. He was a key element of New Zealand’s set-up during the World Cup 2015, where he hit a famous six off Dale Steyn in a thriller at Eden Park and took his team to the final.

“This game is a special one but it doesn’t define us. Looking forward to the future with great excitement and sharing a drink with those selfless players I shared a change room with,” Elliot stated.

Elliot’s campaign in the T20 Blast was bittersweet. He scored 80 runs from 10 innings but made amends with his bowling by picking up 19 wickets from 14 matches – the team’s leading wicket-taker at an average of 19.57 and economy-rate of 7.91.

Following his retirement, Elliott played for T20 franchises around the world, including Chittagong Vikings (Bangladesh Premier League) and Lahore Qalandars (Pakistan Super League). He was also part of the World XI squad that travelled to Pakistan last year.

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