FEW players have signed off a sporting career in the way former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain did earlier this summer.

The 36-year-old, having scored a match-winning century at Lords in the first Test against New Zealand three days previously, announced that he was to quit the game.

Hussain said: "It was not something that I decided to do before the game started. It was something I decided as the game went on, and what better way to end a cricket career than by winning a match at Lords."

He added: "I could have carried on playing for Essex, but it would not have been the same to end my career with a duck at Derby."

The England batsman was a veteran of 96 Test matches, having scored 5,764 runs, and was captain for 45 of them, winning 17 - a total only bettered by Peter May (20) and Mike Brearley (18).

He has now taken his place as one of the Sky commentary team, working alongside Ian Botham - so often one of his biggest critics.

On the cricket field he sometimes comes across as not the nicest person, often being mixed up in disputes with umpires and players.

But at his recent book signing at Ottakar's for his autobiography, Playing with Fire, he had time for everyone, proving there is more to this man than meets the eye.

He was born in Madras in India, the third son of an Indian father and an English mother, from Ilford - where the family moved to when he was seven years old.

His father had been a good club cricketer and played for Ilford.

He was the driving force behind Hussain, who was soon in the national school teams and then England under-19s.

Hussain made his first-class debut on May 2, 1987, while a student at Durham University, playing for the Combined Universities.

That was against Hampshire at the Parks in a Benson and Hedges Cup group match.

He top-scored for the University side with 62 not out as they finished on 207-5, chasing Hampshire's target of 300-8.

Gordon Greenidge top-scored with 133 runs and Paul Terry 54.

In the same year, he made his county debut for Essex and in 1989 was voted the Young Cricketer of the Year.

A year later he made his England debut against the West Indies in Kingston.

One of his most memorable moments in the game came in 1997, when he scored 207 for England against Australia at Edgbaston.

He said: "It is always a nice feeling to hit a century, but a double one and against Australia was extra special."

At the same ground two years later he was made captain of the team - a role he was to keep until 2003.

He helped move England back up the cricket world rankings, but their biggest test will come next summer, with the Ashes series against the mighty Australia.

Hussain believes England have a chance of victory in one of the most fiercely-contested battles in sport: "If we can keep our top players like Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison fit then we have a chance of beating anyone. What Australia have is depth of players, which is, at present, what England are missing."

One man England will be up against next summer will be spinking Shane Warne, someone Hussain always enjoyed playing against.

He said: "He is the best-ever spin bowler and a great competitor. We had our moments, but that is all in the game.

"He has done such a great job with Hampshire, giving the team some steel, and it has really worked out for him."

Hussain's advice to future cricketers who could one day follow in is footsteps is fairly simple: "Make sure you learn to bat and bowl, don't just concentrate on one aspect.

"Look at me. I was a leg spinner as a teenager and ended up batting number three for England.

He added: "I think fitness is also important now. If you look at the top world-class players they are real athletes."

Playing with Fire is out now.