Vaughan to retire?

[BoyBrumby]

Expected to announce it according to cricinfo.

A surprise but somehow not at the same time. Makes his central contract seem all the more baffling.

If it is the final curtain then thanks for the memories, Mick. England's most successful ever captain, statistically and one of the most handsome stroke makers I've seen. His cover drive a beuatiful thing.

 

[pasag]

One of the most attractive batsmen I've ever seen play. Could watch him bat all day. Pity his demise came so hard and fast, deserved a better ending than that.

Bit of a fan of his artballing project, have one of the images as the desktop background on my computer.

Edit: This one:

 

[fredfertang]

I get the impression he feels somewhat let down by the ECB, and no doubt Sky's offer looks like a telephone number

Sad to see him go - a great Lancastrian

 

[Noble One]

His performances in Australia in 2002/2003 was the finest display of batting I have witnessed from a visiting batsman throughout the past decade.

Batted like a dream, and scored three of the most visually appealing centuries imaginable.

A decent cricketer who occasionally could elevate himself to a level amongst the greats of the game.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Strange feeling this, Vaughan is probably the first big-name player to begin and finish his career (at least as an international player) while I've been old enough to follow cricket. It feels like he still has so much to offer.

He was simply awesome in 2002 through 2003 and one of the few batsmen that came to terms with McGrath and Warne. His cover drive and pull will live on long in the memory - conventional strokes but played with a regal class. In many ways, Vaughan represents for me the last of the 'old guard': cricketers who were not wrapped up in big-hitting or the IPL, or even the ODI circus to an extent. Even his best one-day innings, like this were full of brilliant, traditional strokeplay rather than brute force or creativity.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Weird the way Cricinfo have included "England team pay tribute to war dead" article headline under the Vaughan retirement subheading. Seriously. It's not like there's any other reasonable link between the two.

 

[Craig]

I get the impression he feels somewhat let down by the ECB, and no doubt Sky's offer looks like a telephone number

Sad to see him go - a great Lancastrian

I'm sure this was was his reaction:

Anyway he is going to retire with a First Class and Test HS of 197, he could never quite get those three runs needed. Even Jason Gillespie has a higher FC score

 

[morgieb]

Great batsman for England, and was also a very good captain. Shame for England supporters to see him go, but he hasn't been anywhere near his top peak for the past 18 months. Looks like he picked the right time to go.

Oh, and odds on him ending up in the ICL?

 

[rivera213]

In hindsight, he should've retired once he resigned as captain.

I agree that at his best he is 1 of the best batsmen to watch. Probably the most elegant English batsman since Gower.

His pull and cover drive were shots which you just watched with awe. How can he make it look so damn easy?!

His Ashes record of 47.95 w/4 centuries in 20 innings is excellent against THE team of the mid 90's to mid 00's. 1 not out innings would've put his Ashes average above 50 whcih is what I feel he deserved.

His Captaincy was probably better than his batting and 2005 was 1 of the all-time Ashes series so he'll be remembered in 50 years time if the sport is still going.

 

[GIMH]

I was very sad when he stepped down as captain, although I felt he was doing the right thing I felt really numb about it. But this, I dunno, there is a sense of inevitability about it.

In England we often celebrate glorious losers, Vaughan was a winner and I am glad he never played for us again once he gave up the captaincy as he clearly is no longer the batsman he once was. but what a batsman he was, and I genuinely believe that had he never been made captain he would have averaged over 50, alas it was well worth the sacrifice.

 

[zaremba]

I must have watched this 50 times.

 

[tooextracool]

Feel for him, really was hoping that he would score some runs for Yorkshire and force his way back to the side. Im glad that the selectors didnt pick him based on past reputation because I honestly dont think he was good enough as a batsman over the last few years and it is sad considering that he really did look the part at one point. At the end of his career, bringing the Ashes back home, will probably make people have a more favorable view of his career (his captaincy was by all means excellent) but England will miss him.

 

[Burgey]

I must have watched this 50 times.

Reckon I've watched this 100 (@ 3.45ish)....

YouTube - Glenn McGrath

Anyway, Vaughan was a fine player to watch, and his series out here in 02-03 was pretty damn epic. Cheers for the mints, I mean memories, Michael.

 

[Zinzan]

Feel for him, really was hoping that he would score some runs for Yorkshire and force his way back to the side. Im glad that the selectors didnt pick him based on past reputation because I honestly dont think he was good enough as a batsman over the last few years and it is sad considering that he really did look the part at one point. At the end of his career, bringing the Ashes back home, will probably make people have a more favorable view of his career (his captaincy was by all means excellent) but England will miss him.

Agree. Such an elegant player when at his best between 2002-2005. The problem has been in the last couple of years he's looked so out of sorts when starting his innings, he really struggled to get out of 1st gear.

I'll remember him most for his Ashes-winning captaincy in 2005 along with his magnificent pulling/hooking and general batting form in the 2002 Ashes in Australia.

 

[Zinzan]

I must have watched this 50 times.

Yup, that cover drive's right up with M Waugh's and M D Crowe's for mine

 

[craigyc43]

A sad day for English cricket is all I could think of when i heard the news.

The right time for Vaughan to call it a day as it could have become a farce over the summer with the press if they went down the why didnt we pick Vaughan route!

But i just hope he is remembered for how great a player, a captain and most of all how good a man he is!

Englands greatest ever test match captain without dispute and 02/03 was arguably the best batsman in the world.

An absolute pleasure to watch at his best and a true touch of class.

Maybe Nasser Hussain is out of a job again??

Please Sky offer Vaughan a spot!!

 

[pup11]

As many have already said, he was one the finest batsman to watch, and he is one of the best captains England ever had, but this decision has hardly come as surprise to me, but its just a shame he is quitting on such low.

After not being picked in the Ashes squad, making this decision might not have been that tough for him, I think the English selectors didn't handle his case with any clarity, offering him a central contract, and then not even considering him thereafter, messed up the whole scenario quite a bit, if they felt that he still good enough to play for England, then they should have picked him in the team, regardless of what he did in the county circuit.

 

[Zinzan]

A sad day for English cricket is all I could think of when i heard the news.

The right time for Vaughan to call it a day as it could have become a farce over the summer with the press if they went down the why didnt we pick Vaughan route!

But i just hope he is remembered for how great a player, a captain and most of all how good a man he is!

Englands greatest ever test match captain without dispute and 02/03 was arguably the best batsman in the world.

An absolute pleasure to watch at his best and a true touch of class.

Maybe Nasser Hussain is out of a job again??

Please Sky offer Vaughan a spot!!

Yup, he was a fine captain, although can't see how you can categorically state 'without dispute'. They'd be a fairly decent argument for Mike Brearley for a start, not withstanding other previous English skippers I know little about.

 

[craigyc43]

Yup, he was a fine captain, although can't see how you can categorically state 'without dispute'. They'd be a fairly decent argument for Mike Brearley for a start, not withstanding other previous English skippers I know little about.

Ok maybe a little hasty....

but stats show he has most ever test match wins as captain...

Brearley 17 in 31 = 55%

Vaughan 26 in 51 = 51%

Ok Brearley slightly better percentage but Vaughan sustained for a longer period.

I know stats don't tell the entire story but he is the most successful English skipper of all time.

 

[DaRick]

Yeah, I agree with his decision. He's been past his best for years as a batsman and he wasn't the captain that he once was, either.

By all accounts, he was magnificent against Australia in 2002/03, churning out runs and matching it with McGrath while most around him failed miserably. A true shining light. At his peak, he was obviously an inspired captain, too.