Former Kent and England cricketer Alan Ealham has retired after being cricket coach at King’s School and Junior King’s School for the past 10 years.

Ealham played his last innings for the Junior School staff in a high scoring game against the Senior School staff, held at the Milner Court ground in Sturry.

Thanking Ealham for his years of service, Junior School headmaster Peter Wells said: "The standard of cricket at Junior King’s has risen considerably over the time Alan has been with us, and this grounding in the game has obviously had an impact on the senior school.

"Five of this season’s King’s School first team are former Junior King’s pupils who Alan recalled coaching in winter net sessions held at the Junior School."

Accepting several gifts from the school, including a signed photograph from the 1st X1 team, Ealham thanked the headmaster and all at the school for their support and looked forward to seeing the work continue under his son, Mark, who joins the King’s School coaching staff next term.

He said: "I shall be glad not to be turning out on cold, dark winter nights for cricket nets in future but I shall be happy to help out where I can."