Aussie Rogers retires from first-class game

Chris Rogers announced his retirement from first-class cricket after keeping Somerset in the hunt for the County Championship title with a win over Nottinghamshire at Taunton on Thursday. The 39-year-old former Australia batsman bowed out in style as he scored a hundred in each innings and then led his team on a lap of honour at their Taunton headquarters. Somerset's victory inside three days ups the pressure on title rivals Middlesex or Yorkshire to win their match at Lord's on Friday's fourth and final day. A draw would hand Somerset a first Championship title "That's it for me," Somerset captain Rogers told Sky Sports. "I have had a good career and to finish off that way is pretty special. "I'm getting old. I am going to miss playing and the standing ovation from the crowd was very special, but it happens in all careers and it's time to move on." Former Middlesex batsman Rogers, who called time on his 25-Test career after the end of the 2015 Ashes, said: "My overriding feeling is one of immense pride in my team. "We were favourites to go down at the start of the season and look where we are now. "I'll be texting a few of my old team-mates at Middlesex tonight, you can be sure of that. I know what is in their dressing room and I know they will fight all the way against Yorkshire. "The title race is out of our hands, but neither side will roll over at Lord's so it's going to be interesting." Rogers exits with 25,470 first-class runs in 313 matches at an average of 49.55, including 76 hundreds and 122 fifties. His 25 Tests, all but one played after his 35th birthday, saw Rogers score 2,015 runs at 42.87 with five hundreds and 14 fifties.