CRICKET: FORMER Wiltshire cricket captain Richard Gulliver has called time on his career after 40 years of service to the county as a player, skipper and coach.

Gulliver has taken early retirement from his post as Wiltshire cricket development officer after 11 years in the role to spend more time watching the game he loves.

Now 63, Gulliver first buckled on first pads in 1950 as a young boy at the South Wilts Cricket Club in Salisbury. He represented Surrey Colts between 1952-56 and returned to the South Wilts club in 1962.

He played for Wiltshire for 20 years, captaining the side between 1978-82. His classic side-on action was the envy of many seam bowlers.

In 1978 Gulliver passed his advanced coach award and coached the county juniors, helping to mould the most promising youngsters from Swindon, Salisbury and Chippenham.

He retired from his job as a BT engineer in 1992 to help create an infrastructure for sport in Salisbury, a post he left to become the first non-first class cricket development officer in England.

Gulliver said: "Wiltshire was selected to pilot the scheme for the non-first class counties, so I guess you could say we were pioneers.

"We had to prove to the Test and County Cricket Board that the development officer was a worthwhile job.

"When I first started out nobody knew what to do. We had no money and no staff and if we wanted to achieve anything we had to do it from scratch."

Gulliver was employed by the TCCB, who took £100,000 from each of the first class counties to pay for development officers.

During his reign, Gulliver's employers changed to the England and Wales Cricket Board, but his remit remained the same - to improve cricket at all levels in the county.

He said: "We had to go out and spread the word about cricket and I think we achieved that. We created great interest in the volunteer sector.

"Most of our focus clubs have achieved Clubmark, which is important because it means they have created a child-friendly atmosphere."

When Gulliver took up his post there were only 10 primary schools in Wiltshire with after-school cricket clubs.

He leaves the job justifiably proud that more than 200 schools now enjoy regular competition.

"I think it is magnificent," he said. "We work to identify the talented ones but also to give everyone an equal chance to play."

Gulliver was presented with a cut glass decanter at the Wiltshire Cricket Board annual meeting in Devizes on Wednesday.

He said: "To be able to work in your hobby is a real privilege. Cricket became more than a job for me, it was a way of life.

"I would like to thank everyone who has supported the county during my time in the job."