Yorkshire leg-spinner Josh Poysden retires from cricket

Poysden began his professional career with Warwickshire after coming through Sussex's academy and impressing for the Unicorns

Yorkshire’s Josh Poysden has announced his retirement from cricket with immediate effect.

After moving to Headingley from Warwickshire on loan in 2018 and then permanently thereafter, the leg-spinner struggled to nail down a first team spot as he was hampered by injury, before Covid-19 regulations made his playing opportunities more limited.

In 2019, Poysden suffered a horrific, season-ending injury when he fractured his skull while giving throwdowns to Dom Bess; he was unable to drive for six months.

The injury, though, from which Poysden has long-since recovered, has had no bearings on his decision to retire.

“It’s been an absolute honour to be a professional cricketer,” said Poysden. “I didn’t have the most straightforward journey into the game, coming through club and university cricket, so to go on and represent two of the biggest counties, Warwickshire and Yorkshire, over the past eight years has been an amazing journey.

“There’s a lot I’ve achieved that I’m very proud of, but I am most grateful for what the game has given me. It has taught me so much, given me some special memories, but most importantly I’ve met some brilliant people who I know I will call friends for life.

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“It wasn’t an easy decision to retire, but something that I’d been considering for a while, and I feel now is the right time to move on. I’m excited to get stuck into the next chapter, and to pursue something away from playing cricket.”

Yorkshire director of cricket Martyn Moxon added: “We absolutely respect Josh’s decision to retire at this stage of the season.

“He has been a great influence on and off the field and a highly respected member of the squad. Josh is a lovely person and we wish him all the best for the future.”

In all, the 29-year-old, who earned a trial with Warwickshire in 2014 after impressing for the Unicorns having initially come through Sussex’s academy, took 33 first-class wickets as well as 30 in List A cricket and 26 in T20, the format in which he made the most appearances. His last game was a rain-reduced defeat in the T20 Blast against Nottinghamshire on July 9.