Chris Swan, the Queensland swing bowler, has announced his retirement from state cricket. Swan, 33, will depart the game having collecting 101 first-class wickets at an average of 25.92 in 31 matches, as well as 31 victims at 27.38 in his 23 one-day appearances.

A late starter at the elite level, Swan made his debut for the Bulls at the age of 28, and became a semi-regular member of Queensland's attack over the next six seasons. His career highlight came in 2010-11, when he took the third best figures in Queensland's first-class history, with a collection of 13 for 144 in a Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Allan Border Field.

Swan also proved himself a very useful lower-order batsman and scored three first-class half-centuries, averaging 21.15. He also wrote himself into the record books with the bat in 2009-10, when he and Luke Feldman put on 57 for the final wicket to beat Victoria, the highest last-wicket partnership to secure a victory in 120 years of Australian first-class cricket.

"I never really thought I was in the mix," Swan said of his late emergence on the first-class scene. "It took some injuries to some top notch players at the time for me to come into contention and looking back, I was happy just to be given a chance.

"Opening the bowling with a legend like Andy Bichel in my debut is still one of my career highlights and that includes winning the one-day final [in 2008-09] and taking the 13 wickets in a game, although taking a six-for and a seven-for in one match was pretty special. I thought taking five wickets for Queensland was about as good as it gets."

The Queensland coach, Darren Lehmann, said Swan was a fine example of a player who never gave up on his own ability.

"He was also a quintessential Queenslander," Lehmann said. "He was great within the group and reminded everyone that playing for your state was something that was to be cherished and celebrated. We'll miss him from the group, that's for sure. We all wish him the best for the future and I'm sure we'll look forward to seeing him around the Gabba down the track."

Swan, who also played one match for the Brisbane Heat last season, said he was keen to play on in grade cricket next summer. A pest controller before he became a professional cricketer, he will also use his spare time to build his business.

"Yep, I'll just concentrate on knocking over termites rather than batsmen from now," Swan said.