It's the end of an era for Clacton Cricket Club with the shock retirement of John Stuck.

The left-hand opener and wicketkeeper has played for the Vista Road outfit since 1963 and during that time has scored more than 43,000 runs for the first team in almost 1,400 matches at an average of more than 40.

He made 52 centuries and 288 half centuries.

On top of that he chalked up more than 7,500 runs for the second eleven, averaging over 50.

With the gloves he took almost 550 catches for the first team, 208 stumpings and 117 wickets with his left arm swing.

Stuck, 56, ironically ended his career for the Seasiders with a duck against Bury St Edmunds on Saturday. Despite his failure he was clapped off the pitch by both teams.

"It is my intention to concentrate on umpiring and I have already been doing quite a few Two Counties matches," he said.

"It would be nice if I could impress and get appointed for East Anglian Premier League games in the future."

Stuck will continue to turn out for Suffolk Over 50s and the Two Counties Over 50s.

Clacton Cricket Club chairman Neil Cavender, who played in the same side for many years, said: "He is a legend in cricket all round Essex and beyond. He will be sadly missed on the pitch - although he is carrying on as club secretary and treasurer.

"I have the utmost respect for him as a cricketer and he is the outstanding player of the last four decades at Clacton."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.