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England fast bowler John Turner has announced his retirement from professional cricket at the age of 25 after struggling with injuries.The Hampshire pacer, who represented England in four international matches in 2024, still had two years left on his county contract. He also held an ECB development contract until late last year.Turner, who was born in Johannesburg, played two ODIs and two T20Is during England’s tour of the West Indies in late 2024, taking three wickets. He had also built a strong record across domestic cricket.However, he has not played since June last year after suffering a back stress fracture. Turner said his injury history played a major role in his decision to step away from the game.An economics and finance graduate from the University of Exeter, Turner said he now wants to move on to the next stage of his life.“It was always my dream to play professional and international cricket, and doing so for Hampshire and England has been nothing short of living out those same childhood dreams,” Turner said in a statement.“I have, however, decided to retire from the game, and as you can imagine, this has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make. The stress fracture, which has sidelined me for over a year, as well as my injury record, naturally made me think of my future both as a cricketer and away from the game, and subsequently, I decided now was the right time to pursue my next challenge.“The five years I have been able to call myself a professional cricketer for Hampshire have been the greatest five years possible. From the day I joined the club in pursuit of a dream, everyone was extremely welcoming, and this never changed.“The opportunity and belief the club showed in me are something I could never thank them enough for. I have experienced more over the last few years than I could ever imagine, and none of that would be possible without the support from everyone at the club.”Turner studied at Hilton College in South Africa before moving to the United Kingdom for university through his British passport, which he holds through his English mother.He joined Hampshire in 2021 after a successful trial and earned his first England call-up in 2023 after impressing in The Hundred.
