Ed Joyce announces retirement from county cricket

Joyce made the decision in order to concentrate on playing for Ireland.

It was announced back in December that the 38 year-old left-hander would be available for Sussex on a cover basis in 2017, after he was awarded a Category A Player Contract by Cricket Ireland, but the former Sussex skipper has now decided to call time on his illustrious career with the county, the county said in a statement.

Joyce arrived at The 1st Central County Ground in 2009 from Middlesex and later became captain of the club in 2012.

He skippered Sussex to two successive third-placed finishes in Division One, the highest place that the county has finished since being crowned champions in 2007.

Joyce scored over 8,000 first-class runs for Sussex, averaging 49.39 and making 23 centuries in the process.

His 250 against Derbyshire last season, on his way to over 1,000 runs in the Specsavers County Championship, is the highest score of his first-class career.

With Ireland ready to make the step up to Test Cricket in 2018, Joyce has decided to concentrate his efforts with Ireland, and his provincial team Leinster, having undergone knee surgery last winter, read the club's statement.

Joyce said of his decision as quoted by the Sussex website, “County cricket has been a huge part of my life for the last 18 years and it is with a tinge of sadness that I've decided not to play this season or beyond. I fully intended on playing at least some cricket for Sussex in 2017 but the realities of my various injuries, alongside my playing commitments here in Ireland have meant that this isn't possible."