OWAIS Shah has announced his retirement from first-class cricket and will now concentrate his career on the shorter forms of the game. Shah, 34, has played 252 first-class matches, which includes six Test matches for England.

He made his debut for Middlesex in 1996 before moving to Essex in 2010 and was recently awarded his Essex County Cap during the County Championship match against Glamorgan.

Shah said, “I have really enjoyed my Championship cricket career. I started off playing four-day cricket for Middlesex and my main aim was to play for England. “I have achieved that but now as time goes on I would rather concentrate on the shorter forms of the game.

“It’s time for the young guys at Essex to come through into the first team squad and it’s important that I don’t stand in their way.”