Fleming to retire after England series

[apocalypse]

Stephen Fleming, New Zealand's most-capped player, has announced he will retire from Test cricket at the end of the upcoming home series against England. Fleming said it was better for his family if he quit the game ahead of the return tour of England in May and June. "I always indicated that I was likely to retire from international cricket at some point in the near future and the time is right for me and my family to do that now," Fleming said. "Retiring before the tour to England will allow me to be with Kelly for the birth of our second child." Fleming will take part in the Indian Premier League, however, and said it was a good way to stay involved in the game. "It is an exciting opportunity and one that I will be pursuing with the full support of New Zealand Cricket," he said. "The IPL only takes a short amount of my time each year, and allows me to continue pursuing my new endeavours outside of the game." One of those aims is to start his own marketing, media and sports management business but NZC's chief executive Justin Vaughan hopes Fleming will play a part in the country's cricketing future. "Stephen's presence and leadership qualities had a tremendous impact on the team and he will be missed by New Zealand Cricket and the Black Caps," Vaughan said. "He has made a huge contribution to cricket in New Zealand and I sincerely wish him all the best. I'm sure we have not seen the last of him and we are working to ensure that he has a role within cricket in New Zealand in the future." Fleming departs with a sackful of New Zealand Test records. No New Zealander has played as many Tests (108), scored as many runs (6875), taken as many catches (166), captained as many games (80), or led as many wins (28) as Fleming. Appointed at 23, he was the country's youngest Test skipper and only Allan Border, who led Australia through 93 Tests, guided his team in more games. When Fleming retired from one-day international cricket last September he left with a similar bunch of records. At the same as Fleming quit ODIs, New Zealand handed the Test captaincy to Daniel Vettori. Fleming had wanted to stay on as leader in the longer format, but he also admitted he had seriously considered a substantial offer from the Indian Cricket League, and it became clear his time at the top level was drawing to a close. The only question was when in 2008 he would end his career. Would it be before the home series against England, after it, or following the return tour of England in New Zealand's winter? Fleming, a man who avoids fanfare where possible, has opted for three final Tests at home. That will give local fans an opportunity to farewell a man who has defined New Zealand cricket for more than a decade. When he made his Test debut in 1993-94 it was immediately apparent the selectors had found an important player for the future success of the side. In a team led by Ken Rutherford against India in Hamilton, Fleming made 92 in his opening Test, and he followed it just days later with 90 in his ODI debut in Napier. But triple-figures never quite agreed with Fleming, who ended up with nine centuries and 43 half-centuries in accumulating a Test average of 39.73. It took him 23 Tests to make his first hundred and a month later he was thrust into the captaincy when Lee Germon was unavailable for against England due to a groin injury. Germon did not return and Fleming began a ten-year reign during which he eventually became regarded as one, if not the most, astute leader in the game. Through it all runs kept coming for Fleming, though not in the proportions he or his country would have liked. He was sometimes accused of lacking concentration as he tried to build big scores and that trend looked set to continue in Colombo in 1998 when he absent-mindedly strolled to the crease without his box and had to rush back to retrieve it. A lazy shot brought his dismissal for 78, but in his second innings he displayed a rarely-seen resolve, batting for nearly eight hours to finish unbeaten on 174 and setting up a 167-run victory. It was his second Test century and New Zealand hoped it would be his turning point. He didn't reach triple-figures again in a Test for nearly four years. A highlight eventually came in the same city five years later when he batted for nearly 11 hours to register an unbeaten 274 - it remains his highest score - and then made an unselfish declaration that left the door open for a result. He finished the match having been on the field in searing heat for all but the first 44 minutes of the draw and any suggestions that he lacked application were finally put to rest. As if to prove that his double-century was no fluke, he rattled off several more mammoth efforts in Tests: 192 against Pakistan, 202 in Bangladesh and 262 against South Africa. There were outstanding one-day innings along the way as well, and an unbeaten 134 against South Africa in a must-win World Cup match in 2003 was particularly important. But more than individual performances, Fleming was proud of the times he led his small country to big successes. Guiding them to a 2-1 Test win in England in 1999 was particularly special, although Fleming was also pleased with the 0-0 drawn series in Australia in 2001-02. Another highlight came in 2000 when he led New Zealand to their first triumph in a major tournament - the Champions Trophy in Nairobi. The one-day arena was also where Fleming experienced some of his biggest disappointments, and failing to get his team into a World Cup final was a regret. Following last year's semi-final knockout at the hands of Sri Lanka, Fleming quit the ODI captaincy, which precipitated a chain of events that gradually led to his removal from the Test leadership. Fittingly, though, he has been afforded the right to end his playing career on his own terms. Source: cricinfo

[Laaloo]

damn nz cricket shattering come on man pak are in shambles(i love it) bd nz wi eng can all be in the same status this is a really bad news for cricket hopefully there are more youngsters in the nz team maybe BCCI can send some players over there like Ganguly :)

[Dravid]

another one goes :(

[Dravid]

Five of Fleming's best Cricinfo staff February 14, 2008 Early in his career Stephen Fleming was accused of lacking concentration but his unbeaten 274 in Colombo in 2003 confirmed he could settle down for huge efforts © Getty Images 116* v Australia, Melbourne, 1997-98 New Zealand's only win on this tour of Australia came as they overhauled the hosts' 251 in a one-dayer at the MCG. An under-strength Australia attack still managed to have New Zealand at 3 for 42 and by that stage the bookmakers had the visitors at 20 to 1. Things hadn't improved much as they strolled past 100 in the 30th over but Fleming gradually reeled in the target - he only hit eight fours in the innings - and finished unbeaten on a superbly-paced 116. It was one of many big knocks Fleming would play in come-from-behind victories. 174* v Sri Lanka, Colombo, 1998 Before this match, it was sometimes said that Fleming could not concentrate for long periods. That trend looked set to continue when he absentmindedly strolled to the crease without his box and had to rush back to retrieve it. A lazy shot brought his dismissal for 78 but in his second innings he displayed a rarely-seen resolve, batting for nearly eight hours and setting up a 167-run victory. It was Fleming's second Test century and New Zealand hoped it would be his turning point. As it turned out, Fleming didn't reach triple-figures again in a Test for nearly four years. 134* v South Africa, Johannesburg, 2003 This was a match New Zealand simply had to win. They had lost their World Cup opener to Sri Lanka and were about to give up a forfeit to Kenya because of security concerns. Another loss and they might not reach the Super Sixes. The home side piled on 306 but Fleming was not giving in. Wisden called his 134 an innings of "graceful power" and after rain and electrical failure shortened the match, he guided New Zealand to their revised target with a four off Allan Donald. It was Fleming's fourth century in 192 ODIs and it gave his team their first limited-overs win over South Africa. 274* v Sri Lanka, Colombo, 2003 Fleming's tenacious performance in this match made it hard to believe he was ever accused of lacking concentration. He batted for nearly 11 hours to register an unbeaten 274 - easily his highest in Tests - and his unselfish declaration left the door open for a result. But Sri Lanka refused to play ball, batting so long that a draw became inevitable. Fleming added 69 not out in the second innings and was on the field in searing heat for all but the first 44 minutes of the match. 262 v South Africa, Cape Town, 2005-06 With his side down 1-0, Fleming lost the toss in the second Test and New Zealand were sent in on a dreary day. James Franklin made his maiden century but Fleming was the star, racking up 262 and becoming the first New Zealander to score three Test double-centuries. He batted positively - his strike rate was 61 - but the home side's hefty reply was slower and the match petered out to a draw. © Cricinfo