Veteran right-handed batsman Ian Bell announced his retirement from first-class cricket last week putting an end to a glorious Warwickshire career of 22 years. In his last game for his county team, Bell scored a splendid 90 against Glamorgan, before falling to Timm van der Gugten in the Bob Wilis Trophy at Cardiff, and also received a guard of honour from the opposition team.

In 524 FC innings, Bell accumulated 20440 runs at an average of 43.58 and scored 57 hundred first-class hundreds. In an emotional tweet, the veteran right-hander thanked everyone for their support since he announced his retirement and through his final innings with Warwickshire.

“Right, where do I start? Aside from the small detail of playing my final ever red ball game, I’ve needed this week to take everything in. The messages, calls, tweets, news articles, TV features etc, have been absolutely mind blowing and I can’t begin to thank everyone enough”: wrote Bell.

“The sheer number of kind words has been humbling and I won’t deny it’s been an emotional week.Thank you for everything. I will do my best to reply to as many messages as possible, but please accept my warmest thanks for making this one of the proudest weeks of my life x.”

Right, where do I start? Aside from the small detail of playing my final ever red ball game, I’ve needed this week to take everything in. The messages, calls, tweets, news articles, TV features etc, have been absolutely mind blowing and I can’t begin to thank everyone enough. pic.twitter.com/3DOZDyxfDX

— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell) September 11, 2020

The sheer number of kind words has been humbling and I won’t deny it’s been an emotional week.
Thank you for everything. I will do my best to reply to as many messages as possible, but please accept my warmest thanks for making this one of the proudest weeks of my life x pic.twitter.com/Gch9OIIap5

— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell) September 11, 2020

The 38-year-old cricketer will, however, continue to play T20 for the Bears in the T20 Blast this season, which would be his last and final.