Former Leicestershire and Lancashire captain Paul Horton confirms retirement

The 38-year-old did not feature during the 2020 campaign and has decided to call time on his 19-year career

• T20 Blast: Who makes our team of the season?
• English domestic cricket in October - a new normal that needs embracing

Paul Horton, the ex-Leicestershire and Lancashire captain, has confirmed his retirement from professional cricket.

The 38-year-old did not play a single game for the Foxes during a condensed 2020 season.

Horton spent 13 seasons at Lancashire and was part of the squads that won the County Championship in 2011, scoring 1,040 runs during the campaign, and the T20 Blast in 2015.

He moved to Grace Road the following year for the first of four campaigns with Leicestershire.

Horton retires having scored 12,308 first-class runs, 2,953 in List A cricket and 1,477 in T20s.

"After 421 games and 19 years in the professional game, at two wonderful clubs, it’s time to say goodbye to first-class cricket," he said in a statement. "I have been fortunate enough to have a career in something I could only have dreamt of as a child. It’s been great fun.

Time to say goodbye to this great game for now!#retirement #newchapter pic.twitter.com/Xwp6INfamP

— Paul Horton (@PJHorton20) October 5, 2020

"Over the years, it has been an honour to represent and captain both Lancashire and Leicestershire respectively. I have made many lifelong friends and enjoyed some wonderful times playing this great game.

"I would also like to thank Leicestershire in recent years for their support when I needed time away from the game to be with my family.”

Foxes head coach Paul Nixon said: "Paul’s experience and professionalism helped to guide our young squad and he made some important runs at the top of the order."

Chief executive Sean Jarvis added: "The 2020 season was a unique one and we appreciated Paul’s understanding as it gave opportunities to other players. Our best wishes go to Paul and his family for the future."

For unrivalled coverage of the county season, subscribe to The Cricketer and receive 3 issues for £5

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.