Marsh retires from cricket

Redoubtable Tasmanian all-rounder Dan Marsh has announced his retirement from first-class cricket, effective at the end of the Tigers' Sheffield Shield match against Victoria underway in Melbourne.

The 36-year-old, whose first-class career spanned 17 seasons, captained Tasmania to its first Shield title in 2006-07 and earlier this season passed Michael Di Venuto as the Tigers' most-capped player in domestic one-day cricket.

Marsh said that while the decision to retire had been hard to make, taking part in the recent win over the Bushrangers in the final of the Ford Ranger Cup was the ideal way to bow out.

"I first played cricket for Tasmania after re-locating from South Australia just prior to the 1996-97 season and playing cricket for Tasmania has been my life since then," Marsh said.

"I would like to thank all the current, past players and coaching staff for making my time playing for Tasmania so enjoyable."

"It has been an amazing time in Tasmanian cricket and I feel very fortunate to have been involved."

"I am very confident that now is the right time to retire and look forward to spending more time with my family."

Cricket Tasmania chairman Tony Harrison said Marsh would be remembered as one of Tasmania's finest cricketers and its most successful leader to date.

"His contribution to Tasmanian cricket has been immense, his commitment admired by colleagues and all cricket supporters and he has been instrumental in many exciting Tasmanian victories over the years," Harrison said.