Tim Murtagh: Middlesex and Ireland seamer to retire

Tim Murtagh has taken 1,007 wickets for Middlesex across all three formats of the game, with his 1,000th coming against Kent in April

Middlesex seam bowler Tim Murtagh will retire from playing professionally at the end of the season.

The 42-year-old right-armer played three Tests, 58 One-Day Internationals and 14 T20 Internationals for Ireland between 2012 and 2019.

Murtagh, who joined Middlesex from Surrey in 2007, has taken 951 wickets in 263 first-class appearances.

"It has been a pleasure to have been lucky enough to live out my childhood dreams for such a long time," he said.

Murtagh played a leading role in Middlesex's County Championship title success of 2016, taking 43 wickets at an average of 28.53.

He also helped the north London club lift the T20 Cup in 2008, and was a part of the sides which won promotion from Division Two in 2011 and 2022.

Murtagh has had a player-coach role at Lord's this season, featuring in five of their 12 Division One matches, and the club will offer him a full-time coaching role when he retires.

"It's been an incredible honour to have played for this great club since 2007 and I am grateful to everyone who made me feel instantaneously at home here," he added.

"Moving forward I can't wait to help the next generation of Middlesex cricketers live out their own dreams as I move on to the coaching staff and the next phase of my life."

Murtagh played in Ireland's first-ever Test match, a five-wicket defeat by Pakistan in May 2018, and took 5-13 against England at Lord's in his final Test outing as the tourists bowled out the hosts for 85 before lunch in July 2019.

His 13 Test wickets came at an average of 16.38.

Murtagh is in the squad for Middlesex's home Championship match against Warwickshire, which begins on Tuesday.

If selected, it will be his 91st and final first-class appearance at Lord's as Middlesex finish their red-ball campaign away at Nottinghamshire (26-29 September).