Worcestershire to release Illingworth

English county side Worcestershire announced on Saturday that they are to release their veteran former England spinner Richard Illingworth at the end of the season ending a 19-year association with the county.

The 37-year-old slow left-armer, who became only the 11th cricketer in history to take a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket against the West Indies in 1991, took more than 800 wickets and scored nearly 7,000 runs.

Illingworth, who goes by the rather bizarre nickname of Lucy, decided to make a clean break from Worcestershire when they rejected his proposal for a contract for one-day cricket.

"I think there is more cricket left for me to play," said Illingworth, who played in nine Tests and 25 one-day internationals.

Illingworth, who was a member of the England 1991-92 World Cup squad where they lost in the final to the Imran Khan-led Pakistan, made a top score of 120 not out against Warwickshire in 1987 - his best bowling figures for the county was 7-50 against Oxford University in 1985.

Mail Cricket Editor