Middlebrook retires to focus on umpiring Former Essex, Northamptonshire and Yorkshire off-spinner James Middlebrook has announced his formal retirement from professional cricket at the age of 39 to focus on his new career as umpire. Middlebrook started and ended his career with his native Yorkshire which he crowned by helping them retain the County Championship last year. Middlebrook had intended to play the 2015 season with New Farnley in the Bradford League and for Bedfordshire in Minor Counties cricket but he was recalled by Yorkshire to provide cover for Adil Rashid and took 17 wickets in six matches in their championship-winning campaign. Middlebrook played for Yorkshire at every level from Under-11 and made his first team debut in 1998. He was part of the side that won the County Championship under David Byas’s captaincy in 2001 but joined Essex the following year. During eight seasons with Essex, Middlebrook helped them win the Totesport League in 2005. He left Essex joined Northamptonshire in 2010 and was part of the side that won the Friends Life T20 and secured County Championship promotion in 2013. During his first-class career Middlebrook scored 7,873 runs and took 475 wickets in 226 matches with more than 200 wickets in white ball cricket. Middlebrook began umpiring county Second XI matches in 2015 and joined the Minor Counties umpires’ panel this year while still playing club cricket for New Farnley. {{ak_sharing}}
