FORMER Kent captain and opening batsman David Fulton has announced his retirement from first-class cricket.

The veteran of 200 games, who celebrates his 35th this week, will now pursue a career in the media as well as acting as a players’ agent.

Kent’s skipper between 2002 and 2005, Fulton said that his was a simple decision to make come the end of the summer.

He said: "I pretty much knew it was time to go earlier in the season. I put a proposal to Kent to continue playing in a part-time, back-up role that might also allow me to bring on a few of our younger players.

"That was pretty much a winding down move because I knew I would struggle to do another full season, even though I enjoyed playing again without the responsibility of captaincy.

"Once Kent decided not to take up my offer, I more or less knew then that I wouldn’t be going anywhere else.

"I did hold a couple of conversations with other counties, but my heart wasn’t really in it after spending 15 years at Kent."

Fulton added: "I took my time making this decision because you are a long time retired from the game. I was a bit disappointed Kent didn’t see any merit in my offer because I had the club’s interests at heart.

"I’d have been there as cover for England calls or maybe a broken finger, working in the background and putting something back into the club.

"It wasn’t a road they (Kent) wanted to go down, I respect that decision and I’ll see what opportunities there are for me behind other doors now."

Fulton, who will write a new fortnightly Ashes column for the KM Group from next week, also has plans to help raise the profile of All Out Cricket Magazine, the journal affiliated to the players’ union the Professional Cricketers Association.

He is also holding talks with The Times and Sky Sports News.

He added: "I have loads of plates spinning and a few interviews to go to, so we’ll just have to see what comes of them.

"I also want to find time to develop my mentor-agent role with a few of Kent’s younger players and maybe extend that to players across the country.

"I’m not looking to set myself up as an out-and-out agent, but more of a mentor, so that these lads don’t make the type of mistakes I did earlier in my career.

"I’d look to help them buy the right houses and maybe continue with their studies, a more caring approach across the board rather than just being there to negotiate new contracts."