CHORLEY Cricket Club captain James Fazackerley is to retire at the end of the season.

After 13 years as a player at the club and two years as skipper he has decided to call it a day as he feels he can no longer make the commitment to turn out on a regular basis for the team.

And after suffering a fracture to his finger, while attempting to take a slip catch at Kendal on Saturday, it means he may have led the Chorley side out on to the field for the last time.

Fazackerley told The Citizen: "It's something I've been thinking about for some time. I wanted to tell the club before the end of the season to give them enough time to find a new man for next year and allow him to make any changes he may think necessary. I've been playing cricket every weekend for nearly 20 years now but I'm not getting any younger and it's a commitment I just don't feel I can make any longer.

"I've been having trouble with my back for a long time and have two bad Achilles. I feel stiff and sore after every game and just feel now is the time to step down.

"Obviously suffering a fracture is not the best way to finish but may be it is just a sign that now is the right time to go."

He said he had enjoyed his time as captain and was particularly pleased to see the young players come through the ranks during his time at the helm. "A lot of promising young players have come through and that has been very pleasing. It was always going to be difficult for the team to keep up the success after the 1990s when we reached three Lord's finals. But although we have not won much silverware recently we have the basis of a good team in future if we can keep all our players."

He added that he would still be available to play on an occasional basis to help out the team if necessary.

No decision has been made yet as to who will replace him as skipper. Vice-captain Nigel Heaton will lead the team for the final two games of the season if Fazackerley is unable to return.

The injury meant he missed a farewell home match as skipper on Monday. He will definitely miss Saturday's match at Morecambe but may be back for the final game at Preston.