Ian Bell to retire from cricket at end of 2020 season

Warwickshire's former England batsman and five-time Ashes winner Ian Bell will retire from cricket at the end of the 2020 season.

The 38-year-old played 118 Test matches for England between 2004 and 2015, scoring 7,727 runs, 22 hundreds and 46 half-centuries.

Only Sir Alastair Cook (33) and Kevin Pietersen (23) have scored more Test centuries for England than Bell, who also played 161 one-day internationals and eight T20 internationals for his country.

Bell told Sky Sports Cricket: "You get to the point where you just know - you know your body and how you are playing. It feels the right time.

"Before this season started I had agreed to go on next year - it felt like the right decision at the time but I have to be honest with myself and the club.

"It felt like quite an easy decision, to be honest. We have got a good couple of players coming through [at Warwickshire] and I don't want to stand in the way of players coming into the domestic game.

"If I was playing at a level that I expect of myself and that I believe would win games for Warwickshire I would carry on but it's time to move on and I'm at peace with that."

As well as his international accolades, Bell has won six trophies across all formats for Warwickshire, including two County Championship titles.

Bell is also the Birmingham Bears' leading run scorer in T20 cricket and he played a lead part in the team that was crowned Vitality Blast champions in 2014.

"It's been an absolute privilege and honour to fulfil my boyhood dream of playing for both England and Warwickshire," Bell told Warwickshire's official website.

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"As a child, to play just once for either would have been enough for me, but to do so for the past 22 years is more than I could have ever wished for.

"To have spent my entire career and won trophies with my boyhood club is something both myself and my family are enormously proud of.

"To everyone associated with the club; the staff, players, fans and anyone I've worked with during this time: thank you."

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When asked by Sky Sports if he wanted to continue his career in coaching at Warwickshire, Bell replied: "Probably not straight away. Coaching is definitely something I want to do though.

"I was lucky enough last year to go away with England Under-19s to the World Cup. That confirmed it for me [but] it will nice to have a break now."

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Warwickshire sport director Paul Farbrace, said: "Ian will retire from the game as a true Bears legend. He's come through our development system, won every trophy possible, and has broken club batting records.

"During his 12-year international career, he was also a fantastic ambassador for Warwickshire CCC who scored runs all over the world and was firmly established as one of the world's best batsmen.

"Knowing when to retire is an incredibly difficult decision and Ian deserves a huge amount of credit for making this call whilst he still had another year remaining on his contract."

Cricket world pays tribute to Bell