Injury forces Ant Botha to retire

Ant Botha and Naqaash Tahir will both leave Warwickshire at the end of the season.

Botha is retiring after a lengthy battle with an elbow injury, while Tahir has been released after 11-year stay at Edgbaston.

Botha joined Warwickshire from Derbyshire in 2007 and has been a regular ever since. He finishes his career 4403 first-class runs at 23.92 and 307 wickets at 34.44. "We are desperately sorry to see Ant forced out of the first-class game under these circumstances, as he has played an important part in our success over the past four years," said director of cricket Ashley Giles.

Tahir has been on the fringes of regular first-team cricket for more than a decade but has been unable to nail a place down. At 27 he still has time on his side and his record of 139 first-class wickets at 29.94 may attract interest.

"Naqaash has been with us for many seasons since joining the squad as a young player via the development system at Edgbaston," said Giles. "It is sad to see him leave the club, but he has struggled to maintain a regular place in the side throughout this period."