Speaking of retirements...

And whilst we're on the subject of retirements, Iain O'Brien has reluctantly announced his retirement from all cricket; Stuff reports:

Iain O'Brien has finally conceded defeat to his aching body, announcing his retirement from first-class cricket to his 13,000 Twitter followers last night.

A stress fracture in his lower back, caused by a congenital fusion of two vertebrae, was the final straw and a surgeon delivered the news O'Brien half expected earlier this month.

The 22-test seamer and Cricket Wellington officially part ways today, with promising fast bowler Scott Kuggeleijn elevated to the 12-strong contract list from tomorrow.

"I'm disappointed. I genuinely wanted to play and I tried my best and did everything I could. I'm at peace with it now," O'Brien told The Dominion Post last night. "I know I'm not going to play international cricket. I'm cool about it. I'm fine."

The 35-year-old last played first-class cricket for Middlesex in July, 2010, before the England Cricket Board denied his bid to be classed as a local player.

After surgery last April to re-attach a hamstring tendon, he was contracted by Wellington with a view to reclaiming his test spot, which he vacated in December, 2009 to start a family with his English wife, Rosie. They have a daughter, Alethea. But after months of promising rehab, the nets were as close as O'Brien got to returning for Wellington this summer before his back injury worsened.

O'Brien was told he had the back of a 60-year-old after an X-ray in 2003. In 2007 he was advised by a surgeon to hang up his boots, but played through the pain. "I've cried in changing rooms and hotels all around the world, but how could I walk away? I've got more out of my body and career than I should have. Time's up," he tweeted.

He took 73 test wickets at 33.27, after walking away in peak form against Pakistan in late 2009. From 91 first-class matches took 322 wickets at 26.06.

We will remember O'Brien as a lion-hearted bowler, who gave his absolute best every time he played for New Zealand. His time at the top level was relatively brief, but he certainly made an impact.

And it wasn't just on the cricket pitch that O'Brien made an impact; he's a social media regular, and for a while had a very entertaining cricket blog. We'd link to it, but unfortunately the link is broken, a bit like O'Brien's body!

We wish Iain O'Brien all the best for life after cricket, although we don't doubt that we'll hear from his via social media. Cricket needs more characters like him.