Rikki Clarke prepares to leave the crease one last time

Surrey’s indefatigable 39-year-old is retiring at the end of the season, and is left to rue how his international career ended

Somewhere among Rikki Clarke’s old kit and other bits he has a fat scrapbook, full of dog-eared clippings from the summer of 2002. He was 20 and on a run of form that took him from Surrey’s second XI into the England squad in the space of three months.

“Clarke in Like Flynn” was the Guardian headline when he hit 153 against Somerset, “Clarke’s Flash of Lightning” when he smacked three sixes in an innings against Yorkshire and “Rikki’s a Rare Talent” was above a full-page profile in the Observer when he won his first England call-up for the Champions Trophy that September. “England have found ‘the one’,” ran the report. “A swashbuckling bat who bowls too, and throws and catches with the energy and sweat of the modern game.” He was, his captain, Adam Hollioake, said: “The best young player around.”