Daryl Tuffey retires from all cricket

New Zealand fast bowler Daryl Tuffey has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, ending a 12-year international career. Tuffey, who last played for his country in 2010, lost his central contract the following year, but was handed a domestic contract for 2012-13 with Auckland Aces last month.

Tuffey, 34, said he had decided to retire because he had missed the most of last season due to injury.

"I've had a few different injuries recently and they do get tougher to come back from," Tuffey said. "It's probably been my one major regret in cricket that I haven't spent as much time on the field as I would have liked but it's part and parcel of playing the game.

"There aren't many people who get the chance to get paid for playing the game they love and I feel really lucky that I've been able to do that. It's been an honour to represent my country and to be able to do so in some great places around the world has been a bonus."

Tuffey made his Test debut during the home series against Australia in 1999-2000. His best performance was 6 for 54 at Eden Park to help New Zealand square the Test series against England in 2001-02. He was New Zealand's regular opening bowler in the Test and ODI sides but had his share of breakdowns, including a damaged shoulder in 2005 which kept him out of the side for the best part of two years. He lost another two years when he signed for the rebel Indian Cricket League in 2007.

He returned to New Zealand's Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in mid 2009, but was plagued by injuries thereafter - he suffered broken bones in his hands twice in the following six months, before straining a bicep during a one-day series in India in November 2010. He played the last of his 26 Tests in 2010 against Australia, taking 77 wickets with two five-wicket hauls. He played 94 ODIs and took 110 wickets. In a 16-year first-class career, he took 288 wickets.

He began his first-class career for Northern Districts in 1996-97 before moving to Auckland in 2008-09. Paul Strang, the Auckland coach, said Tuffey would be missed. "Daryl will be a huge loss to us because he brings so much to the side," Strang said. "He's been fantastic for us, especially in the short form and contributes a lot both on and off the field."