SOMERSET legend Marcus Trescothick has announced he will be retire from professional cricket at the end of this season.

The 43-year-old made his debut for Somerset in 1993 and has gone on to become one of the finest players to ever represent the County.

The current season will be Trescothick's 27th and final season as a professional, and during that time he has scored more First Class centuries (52) and more List A runs (7374) than any player in the Club’s history.

The Keynsham-born left-hander has also currently scored 19654 First Class runs for Somerset at an impressive average of 41.11. He also holds the record for the most First Class catches (445) for the County.

As well as excelling on the domestic front, Marcus had a fine international career.

His 76 Test matches saw him plunder over 5800 runs at an average of 43.79. He was equally destructive in limited overs matches and his 123 ODI’s saw him amass 4335 runs at an average of 37.37.

He has captained his country, won an Ashes series, played in a World Cup and won trophies with the County that is so close to his heart.

Trescothick said: “It’s been an incredible 27 years and I’ve loved every minute of it.

“However, everything has to come to an end eventually.

I’ve been discussing my future with the club and my family for a while and we felt that now was the appropriate time to make this announcement in order for both the club and I to put plans in place.

“There’s still a lot of the season left, and I’ll be doing everything I can to put in performances for the Second XI in order to force my way back into contention for the first team.

“This club, the members and the supporters mean so much to me. There are so many memories that I will cherish forever, and the club will always hold a truly special place in my heart.

“Twenty-seven years is a long time, but it’s gone incredibly quickly.

"I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to do something that I love for that length of time, and I’m extremely grateful for all the support that I’ve received throughout this remarkable journey.”