The long goodbye

The advantage of announcing your retirement while you are still playing is that you get to have a farewell tour with lots of people having the chance to walk up to you and thank you for all the memories you have provided them over the years.

Graeme Hick is discovering the joys of such a scenario (much against his initial desire, actually). Here is another interview with the great man where he is, as always, very candid in his self-analysis. But right through the interview you get the sense that he is at peace with himself, a rare quality to have.

More of my thoughts on Graeme Hick's retirement can be found here.

P.S. I found another article that discusses Hick, now that his first-class career is indeed over. In it, Mike Selvey talks about an innings played by Hick years ago against one of the best sides in the history of the game.

...Hick launched the most withering assault of his international career, driving and pulling, so that great bowlers had no answer. Hick made an ubeaten 42 of the 59 the pair added in a dozen overs that evening, and the game had been transformed to one almost of parity. Given the manner of his play, the way in which he seized the initiative, and the generally low scoring on a helpful pitch a further hour of Hick might just have turned the game on its head. Instead stumps arrived and the moment passed.