King of Spain retires from cricket

Ashley Giles has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect, citing the recurrent hip injury as the principle reason. The highpoint of Giles’ career was being a member of the England squad to regain the Ashes in 2005, playing a crucial role in a stand with Kevin Pietersen in the final, series-sealing, match at the Oval.

Giles was an oft-lambasted cricketer, especially in the follow-up Ashes series, where Fletcher preferred him over Monty Panesar in the opening couple of games of the series, which sealed England’s 5-nil Ashes-losing whitewash. Criticism of “Gilo” was arguably unfair, considering that he was simply doing what he wanted: to play for England, and that it was Fletcher and Flintoff who were selecting him to play, despite his having been out of action with the hip injury.

He was involved in a humourous incident, whereby a set of mugs that were supposed to say “King of Spin” had a typo, earning him the title of “King of Spain”.

No doubt Gilo will be on Sky Sports any day now.