Iain O'Brien has finally conceded defeat to his aching body, announcing his retirement from first-class cricket to his 13,000 Twitter followers last night.
O'Brien bowling for the Wellington Firebirds two seasons ago.
O'Brien played 45 first-class matches for Wellington taking 179 wickets at the superb average of 22.21. This places him eighth on the list of Wellington's highest wicket takers. His best return was 8 for 55 against Auckland at home at the Hawkins Basin Reserve in February 2007. He took 5 for 62 in the same match.
He made his One-Day debut for Wellington in 2004, playing 33 One-Dayers for Wellington and taking 48 wickets at 28.39 per scalp with a best return of 5 for 35 against CD at the Basin in 2005.
He won Cricket Wellington Norwood Awards for bowling in 2000-01, 2006-07 and 2008-09 and took out the Wellington Cricketer of the Year Award in 2008-09.
He played 22 Tests for New Zealand, finishing with 73 Test wickets at 33.27. his best return was 6 for 75 against the West Indies in Napier. he played 10 One-Day Internationals.
A stress fracture in his lower back, caused by a congenital fusion of two vertebrae, was the final straw and a surgeon delivered the news O'Brien half expected earlier this month.
The 22-test seamer and Cricket Wellington officially part ways today, with promising fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn elevated to the 12-strong contract list from tomorrow.
"I'm disappointed. I genuinely wanted to play and I tried my best and did everything I could. I'm at peace with it now," O'Brien told The Dominion Post last night. "I know I'm not going to play international cricket. I'm cool about it. I'm fine."
The 35-year-old last played first-class cricket for Middlesex in July, 2010, before the England Cricket Board denied his bid to be classed as a local player.
After surgery last April to re-attach a hamstring tendon, he was contracted by Wellington with a view to reclaiming his test spot, which he vacated in December, 2009 to start a family with his English wife, Rosie. They have a daughter, Alethea. But after months of promising rehab, the nets were as close as O'Brien got to returning for Wellington this summer before his back injury worsened.
O'Brien was told he had the back of a 60-year-old after an X-ray in 2003. In 2007 he was advised by a surgeon to hang up his boots, but played through the pain. "I've cried in changing rooms and hotels all around the world, but how could I walk away? I've got more out of my body and career than I should have. Time's up," he tweeted.
He took 73 test wickets at 33.27, after walking away in peak form against Pakistan in late 2009. From 91 first-class matches took 322 wickets at 26.06.
Now, the radio commentary box, a coaching career and business interests beckon. O'Brien will join the commentary team for the Wellington internationals against South Africa, then he hopes to resume his county commentaries with the BBC when he returns to England in April. His business interests include launching a sports underwear range, and fitness training.
He'll chase roles as an assistant or bowling coach in England, too. "The dream job would be an international bowling coach in the medium to long-term."
And he hasn't hung up the boots completely. He helped Petone-Riverside beat Wainuiomata by five wickets in the Hazlett Trophy one-day final on Sunday, taking 2-9 off five overs, bowling off "two paces".
Article courtesy of the Dominion Post