'I stopped enjoying county game' - Beard

Aaron Beard played his final first-team game for Essex against Sussex in the One-Day Cup on 14 August

Former Essex pace bowler Aaron Beard hopes to find a way to "see cricket in a different light" after retiring from the professional game at the age of only 26.

Beard called it a day at the end of the county season, having taken 108 wickets in all formats of the game during his career.

He had been considering his decision for a couple of months after becoming slightly disenchanted with life on the county circuit,

"I can't thank people enough for supporting me through my choice, I know it was a surprise to some people, but I strongly believe it's the right decision," Chelmsford-born Beard told BBC Essex Sport.

He plans to play club cricket for Upminster alongside working in construction, but hopes to return to his home town in the future in a coaching capacity.

"I had a few ups and downs through the years of playing and I had a feeling that there might be something out there for me that I might enjoy a bit more," he added.

"I'll always love cricket and always love playing but in my life I don't want to leave any stone unturned and I thought it would be the right time to go and try something different."

Beard appeared for Essex as a 15-year-old fielding substitute when they took on England in an Ashes warm-up match in 2013 and also bowled in practice sessions with James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

His first-class debut came three years later when he took five wickets in a game against Sri Lanka and he was part of the Essex side that completed a County Championship and T20 Blast double in 2019.

Beard had a loan spell with Sussex two years ago and only played two Championship games for Essex this summer as the club relied on Jamie Porter, Sam Cook and Shane Snater as their main seam bowling options in red-ball cricket.

He consulted former England captain Alastair Cook, who retired in 2023, and ex-Essex skipper Ryan ten Doeschate before making his decision.

"I knew there was something not quite right about my enjoyment levels of the cricket. I was always the first one to train and always the one to leave last - and then I lost that," Beard said.

"This is a completely different scenario but when Alastair Cook retired from international cricket, he came and played county cricket with his friends to enjoy it again, and not have so much expectation on him.

"I'm going to play for Upminster again next year, that's where my main coaching base is as well. I'm looking forward to seeing cricket in a different light, hitting balls into the bushes and taking plenty of wickets."