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John Turner, the Hampshire fast bowler who represented England in four internationals in 2024, has announced his shock retirement from professional cricket at the age of 25.
The Johannesburg-born pacer, who still had two years remaining on his Hampshire contract and held an ECB development contract until late last year, made two ODI and two T20I appearances during England's tour of the West Indies in late 2024, claiming three wickets. Turner also built an impressive record across the domestic circuit before deciding to bring his professional career to an unexpected end. "It was always my dream to play professional and international cricket, and doing so for Hampshire and England has been nothing short of living out those same childhood dreams," Turner said in a statement as per Cricinfo. "I have, however, decided to retire from the game, and as you can imagine, this has been one of the hardest decisions I've had to make. The stress fracture, which has sidelined me for over a year, as well as my injury record, naturally made me think of my future both as a cricketer and away from the game, and subsequently, I decided now was the right time to pursue my next challenge. The five years I have been able to call myself a professional cricketer for Hampshire have been the greatest five years possible. From the day I joined the club in pursuit of a dream, everyone was extremely welcoming, and this never changed," he added. "The opportunity and belief the club showed in me are something I could never thank them enough for. I have experienced more over the last few years than I could ever imagine, and none of that would be possible without the support from everyone at the club," he concluded. Turner studied at Hilton College, one of South Africa's most prestigious schools, before moving to the UK for university with the benefit of his British passport through his English mother. He joined Hampshire in 2021 after impressing during a trial and earned his first England call-up in 2023 following a strong showing in The Hundred. However, he found opportunities limited in Hampshire's County Championship side, making just seven first-class appearances for the club. He also featured in three matches on loan at Lancashire in early 2025 before injuries once again disrupted his progress. (ANI)
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