Nehemiah Perry retires from first-class cricket

Nehemiah Perry, the former West Indian offspinner, has retired from first-class cricket at the age of 35, after a persistent back problem restricted him to three matches in this season's Carib Beer Cup.

Perry, who played four Tests and 21 ODIs in 1999 and 2000, is most famous for his part in West Indies' astonishing 10-wicket victory over Australia, on debut at Jamaica in March 1999. After Brian Lara had smashed 213, Perry followed up with second-innings figures of 5 for 70, including the wickets of Matthew Elliott, Justin Langer, Steve Waugh and Greg Blewett.

His career ended in disappointment, however, with figures of 0 for 120 in an innings defeat against New Zealand in Wellington the following winter. Perry is the second former West Indies Test player to retire this season, following Dinanath Ramnarine's decision to concentrate on his job as president of the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA).