Kent batsman Mike Powell has announced his retirement from the first-class game at the age of 36.

The Welshman made the switch to Canterbury at the end of the 2011 season after a 15-season association with home county Glamorgan.

The right-hander amassed 13,421 first-class runs at an average of 38, plus more than 5,000 more in limited overs cricket.

His most notable season came in 2006 when he scored more than 1,300 runs to claim Glamorgan’s player of the year award, including back-to-back double centuries against Essex and Gloucestershire, against whom he scored a career-best 299.

Powell said; “I have had a wonderful career and I owe a lot to many people within cricket. I enjoyed an extremely rewarding career at Glamorgan and have also relished the opportunity to play for Kent over the last two seasons.

“I would like to thank everyone for their continued support throughout my career, including supporters at both at Glamorgan and Kent. I have a number of exciting opportunities on the horizon, and look forward to moving on to the next stage of my career.”

Powell will take up a role at Cardiff-based consultancy firm Thomas Carroll after the end of the season.

Kent Chairman of Cricket, Graham Johnson said: “Mike has helped Kent through a transition period, and true to his approach to cricket over a number of years, has done so in a very positive way, adding to all aspects of Kent Cricket.

“I find it particularly pleasing for someone who has added so much to professional cricket that such a positive opportunity has arisen to enable Mike to look forward in his life after cricket. I hope he finds time to come back to see the fruits of what he has helped establish, he will always be welcome.“