Lucy Doolan retires from all cricket

Doolan, 31, made her last appearance for the White Ferns in February 2013, but continued to represent Wellington Blaze in domestic cricket. She has now decided to hang up her boots after a professional career spanning 14 years.

“The body doesn’t quite bounce back like it used to. And I think the plan was always to come back and play a couple more years after a few years off and then call it a day,” she said.

Doolan scored 868 runs and picked up 60 wickets across 73 games in international cricket. She represented New Zealand in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in 2008/09 and 2012/13, as well as the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in 2009, 2010 and 2012/13.

The all-rounder is a cult figure in the history of Wellington Blaze, for whom she scored 3510 runs, claimed 172 wickets, and won three T20 titles after making her club debut as a teenager back in 2004.

“The support that I’ve had from Cricket Wellington as part of the Blaze is amazing," Doolan said. "They’ve probably spearheaded the support throughout the country in terms of backing women’s cricket, and I’ve seen that right from when I started playing cricket for Wellington as an 18-year-old.”