WILL KENDALL has retired after eight years as a Hampshire player.

Kendall, 30, made his debut in 1996 and was an ever present for five years before he was dropped midway through last season.

This season he has only played eight Championship matches, the last of which was a rain-affected draw against Yorkshire at the Rose Bowl two months ago, and six totesport matches after losing his place to Jimmy Adams and Greg Lamb respectively.

Sadly, his farewell appearance, the totesport League match against champions Glamorgan Dragons at the Rose Bowl 12 days ago, was a disappointing three-wicket defeat, in which he was out for one.

But Kendall, who would have been out of contract at the end of this season, has many happy memories from his time with his only county.

He said: "I've had a fantastic career but the club's moved on and it's time for me to explore other avenues.

"I've been considering this for quite a while, there's been a change of regime and with the young players coming through it's the right time.

"I'm leaving the game with sadness having spent so much of my life dedicated towards it, but my opportunities have been fairly limited this season and the ones I've had I've been unable to take."

Kendall made his Hampshire debut in 1996, and was capped three years later - on the same day he scored his career best 201 against Sussex at Northlands.

That 1999 season was Kendall's annus mirabilis - he scored 1,121 championship runs at 41.51 in the penultimate season at Northlands Road.

Two years later he became vice captain under Robin Smith, a role he filled for two seasons before it was scrapped by Paul Terry 18 months ago.

Kendall captained Hampshire in Shane Warne's absence as recently as May but now the dad-of-one - his wife Emily gave birth to daughter Lucia three months ago - is preparing for the next chapter in his life.

The Oxford Blue, who will be remembered as one of the county's best fielders, added: "I will miss everything about Hampshire.

"The twopromotions and the win against Australia in 2001 are two big highlights and captaining Hampshire was massive honour, I loved doing that. But I'm excited about whatever the future holds.

"I've got a few ideas which should become a bit clearer over the next few weeks but I'm not leaving with anything organised as such, it's a blank canvas, which is exciting

"I've got a wife and family to consider now but I'm only 30 which will make it easier to start something new than if I waited until I was 35. "

Kendall is still likely to play club cricket for Esher in the Surrey Championship, a club he has been associated with for 15 years, but he did not contemplate a move to another county for long.

"I've no regrets, Hampshire has always been the county for me and I don't think I'd be able to find a similar environment anywhere in the country," he remarked.

"I've given it a good shot from a cricket point of view and don't want to have to go somewhere else and prove myself all over again."

Manager Paul Terry told Kendall's teammates of his decision at Durham, where Hampshire are currently playing in a rain-affected championship second division encounter.

He said: "It's always disappointing to a see a player finish, particularly someone like Will Kendall, who's a very popular and genuine nice guy.

"He's always worked hard at his game and I'm sure he'll be very successful in whatever he chooses to do."

Captain Shane Warne added: "Will always strove to be the best player he could be and that's all you can ask of anyone.

"He always gave 100 per cent and his attitude and enthusiasm was nothing short of fantastic."

WILL KENDALL FACTFILE:

Born: 18 December 1973, Wimbledon, London.

Role: Right-hand bat, right-arm medium bowler

First class debut: April 1994, Oxford University v Durham, The Parks.

Hampshire debut: July 1996, v Yorkshire at Headingley (AXA League)

First class matches (Hampshire record in brackets): 140 (116)

Innings: 230 (197)

Runs: 6,822 (5,668)

Highest score: 201, Hampshire v Sussex, Northlands Road 1999

Hundreds: 10 (7)

Half-centuries: 33 (28)

Average: 33.27 (31.66)

Wickets: 15 at 49.06 (7 at 63.71)

Best bowling: 3 for 37 for Oxford University v Derbyshire, The Parks, 1995

Catches: 118 (103)

One day matches: 130

Innings: 113

Runs: 2113

Highest score: 110* v Middlesex, Rose Bowl, 2002

Average: 21.78

Wickets: 5 at 47.40

Catches: 59