Div Two leaders hit by double retirement

MICHAEL Lumb, one of England’s heroes from the 2010 World T20 success, has been forced to retire because of an ankle injury.

The 37-year-old Nottinghamshire batsman, who played 27 T20s as well as three ODIs for the Three Lions, moved to Trent Bridge from Hampshire in 2012, having started out at Yorkshire.

In first-class cricket, Lumb has amassed more than 11,000 runs in 210 matches, with his career-best 221 not out coming for Notts against Derbyshire in 2013.

Lumb said: “I have had the best time at Trent Bridge, in my view the most productive years of my career, and Notts is the club I have most enjoyed playing for.

“I’m extremely disappointed I’ve had to retire from cricket, particularly in the middle of the season, but I have to respect medical opinion.”

As well as winning the World T20 in the Caribbean in 2010, Lumb hit a century on his ODI debut against West Indies in 2014.

He was part of the Notts team that beat Surrey in the One-Day Cup final at the beginning of this month and his one-day prowess also saw him recruited to play in the IPL and Big Bash.

Notts director of cricket, Mick Newell, added:“It’s very sad news. He’s a hugely talented batsman that has entertained cricket followers all over the world. He’s a great role model and a superb professional.”

“Michael is an immensely popular senior player in the dressing room and highly respected for what he has achieved during his career. We wish him every success and thank him for all he has contributed to the club.”

Lumb isn’t the only Notts batsman to hang up his spikes this week with Greg Smith retiring from professional cricket in order to pursue a career outside of the game.

Smith, 28, has played just four senior matches this summer having signed at Trent Bridge at the beginning of the 2015 season. He has scored almost 5,000 firstclass runs and over 2,000 more in one-day matches in his career.

Smith said:“It feels like the right time for me to move on from cricket.

“I’ll leave the game having met some incredible people and with some amazing memories.”