Ed Joyce announces retirement

DUBLIN: Ireland’s Ed Joyce has announced his retirement from cricket with immediate effect, on Thursday.

He made his Test debut in Ireland’s inaugural Test against Pakistan earlier this month and has played 78 One-Day Internationals and 18 Twenty20 Internationals as well. He will now work as the batting coach and will oversee leadership development in the Irish performance system.

“I feel now is the right time to stop playing and get started on a new chapter. The recent Test match against Pakistan was such an incredible few days and was the perfect game for me to say was my last in professional cricket,” said Joyce. “I am very grateful to Cricket Ireland for giving me the opportunity to get involved in the coaching set-up. I know I have a huge amount to learn about the art of coaching, but I know I also have a huge amount of knowledge that I’m determined to pass on to the next generation of Irish talent.”

Joyce is one of the ten cricketers who have represented two countries in ODIs and was also the first player to play T20Is for two nations. He ends his career as the fifth-highest run-getter for Ireland in ODIs with 2151 runs from 61 games at an average of 41.36. His best of unbeaten 160 came against Afghanistan in Belfast in 2016. He played 17 ODIs for England between 2006 and 2007, scoring 471 runs at an average of 27.70 before switching back to playing for Ireland. He also represented England in two T20Is - against Sri Lanka and Australia.

Joyce was a prolific run-scorer in first-class cricket ending with 18461 runs from 255 games at an average of 47.95 with 47 centuries to his name having represented Marylebone Cricket Club, Middlesex and Sussex in the County circuit.

“County Cricket has been such a huge part of my life for the last 16 years and I firmly believe there was no better place for me to learn about the game. I was lucky to have played for two of the best in Middlesex and Sussex and I cherish the friendships I made and trophies I won over this period,” he said.