Emotional Hick ready to bow out

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But the 42-year-old admitted he may be open to offers from the rebel Indian Cricket League next season.

The former England batsman said: "I felt it was right to finish. I had a feeling at the start of the year that it was going to be my last year."

He added: "I just wanted to wait until a bit later in the year just to make sure it was the right decision. I think there are guys in the dressing room who need to start playing first-team cricket and my time is up.

"A few weeks ago I was sitting at Cheltenham during the four-day game and I felt it was time to go."

Hick has decided to end his playing career with the Royals at the end of the current campaign after 136 first-class centuries and 41,112 first-class runs, in addition to a prolific record in one-day cricket

Hick insisted: "It is not a physical thing. I have got this problem with my elbow at the moment which has come on from the keyhole surgery I had early in the season.

"Surprisingly, after the back injuries in the mid-1990s, in the last few years I've felt better than during that period. I don't know why. Maybe the body got hardened to it more and I've trained a lot over the years.

"It is not a physical choice at the moment but, from how my body feels, it will have been harder to get through a full season next year and I felt I wouldn't want to start the year and pack up halfway through the season.

"I felt it was the right time. It was an emotional decision."