McGrath calls time on career

The 37-year-old former county captain has quit the sport with immediate effect this morning.

A thumb injury sustained at the back end of last season has not heeled sufficiently and McGrath – whose contract expired at the end of last season – feels he would not be able to commit to a full season of cricket.

His appearances last season as Yorkshire won promotion back to Division One of the County Championship and reached the final of the Twenty20 Cup, as well as the group stages of the T20 Champions League in South Africa, were restricted primarily to the longer format of the game.

He played in 13 of their Championship fixtures, finishing as their sixth-highest run scorer with 584 at a competitive average of 48.66.

With ball in hand, the right-arm medium pace bowler took 12 wickets for the loss of 424 runs for an average of 35.33. After an injury-hit 2011 it was a fine campaign, in which McGrath provided solidity in the middle order.

Speaking at the end of the season, Yorkshire’s director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon said: “Anthony has been outstanding for us this season and played a big part in our success. He’s had a different role in Championship cricket, batting further down the order than he’s used to, but, as ever, he’s been very professional in everything he’s done and been a fantastic servant throughout the summer.”

McGrath’s last act for Yorkshire was a typically vital second-innings 68 at Chelmsford against Essex as Yorkshire secured promotion.

In the shorter format, he played three games in the CB40 and no part at all in Yorkshire’s groundbreaking Twenty20 campaign.

As of yet, he has not committed to another position at the club.

His retirement brings to an end an 18-year association with a county cricket club that celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

McGrath captained the county in 2003 and again in 2009, but the burden of leadership was never something that sat well with him.

He handed back the armband the first time to concentrate on his international career. He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe at Lord’s in May, 2003, and played his fourth and final Test later that summer against South Africa. His one-day international career continued into another year.

McGrath helped Yorkshire win the County Championship Division One title in 2001. A year later, his unbeaten 46 from 53 balls helped steady a sinking Yorkshire ship as they overcame Somerset to win the C&G Trophy.

Bradford-born McGrath debuted for Yorkshire in 1995 and won his county cap four years later.

England Lions suffered a crushing 122-run defeat in their second unofficial one-day international against Australia A.

Joe Burns, who came to the wicket after Aaron Finch fell to the first ball in Hobart, anchored the hosts’ innings with 114 as they made 315-7 in 50 overs. Despite 79 from captain James Taylor, the Lions never came close and were bowled out for 193 with 8.3 overs remaining as Australia A took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance chipped in with 23 in a stand of 52 with Taylor.