Former England cricketer, spinner Simon Kerrigan, whose career has spanned a rollercoaster of highs and lows, has officially called time on his cricketing journey. At 34 years old, Kerrigan’s announcement comes after a stint with Northamptonshire, where he briefly resurrected his career in 2020 but has seen limited action in the County Championship this season.
Kerrigan, a slow left-arm spinner, burst onto the scene as a Lancashire player, showcasing immense promise early on in his career. His moment in the limelight arrived when he received his maiden Test cap, donning the England jersey against Australia at The Oval in 2013. Unfortunately, that debut was a challenging one, and it marked the beginning of a tumultuous period for Kerrigan at the international level, causing him to drift away from the spotlight and step away from professional cricket in 2018.
After a three-year hiatus from the first-class circuit, Kerrigan made a return with Northamptonshire, a club he had previously represented on loan. He expressed his gratitude to the Northants players and staff, particularly David Ripley, who provided him with the opportunity to rejoin the professional ranks, and John Sadler, who showed faith in him by offering a long-term contract.
Reflecting on his journey, Kerrigan shared, “The goal when I signed with David Ripley was to strive for the fairytale ending to the second part of my career, disappointingly though over the last couple of seasons that dream has moved further and further out of reach, and it feels like the right time for me to move on.”
Despite the challenges, Kerrigan takes pride in having given his all throughout his career, bouncing back from setbacks along the way. His rise to prominence in 2011, instrumental in Lancashire’s County Championship victory, marked a significant chapter in his career. He was also a part of the England Lions setup during this period, establishing himself as one of the country’s leading young spinners. However, the shadows of his challenging Test debut loomed large, causing a dent in his confidence and eventually leading to his release from Lancashire in 2018.
After briefly exploring coaching, Kerrigan returned to playing with Northants, where he contributed with 54 first-class wickets and 11 in List A cricket over four seasons at Wantage Road.
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