Cricketer Paul Prichard will quit Essex at the end of the season.

News of the former skipper's decision hardly comes as a great surprise but the timing represents another blow to the county, who are still recovering from the shock waves of Stuart Law's verbal blast.

Prichard, 36, captained the side from 1995 to 1998 but has suffered from a combination of loss of form and injuries in recent seasons.

More information about Essex County Cricket Club's 2001 season The county issued a statement thanking Prichard for his outstanding contribution and wishing him well in the future, while the player stated: "It was an honour and privilege to have been associated with Essex".

But it is also an open secret that his love affair with the county, for whom he made his first-class debut as a 19-year-old in 1984, was soured when he resigned the captaincy at the end of the 1998 season.

It was a decision brought about by "player power" after several team-mates went to the Essex hierarchy to voice their dissatisfaction at the way the side was being led.

The batsman is currently remaining tight-lipped but has not given up hope of staying in the game as a player.

That fact alone gives weight to the rumours that all is not well behind the county club's doors.

Prichard was suffering a nightmare run before back problems cost him his place a month ago.

In six Championship games this season he has scored only 90 runs for an average of nine.Prichard burst on to the Essex scene in dramatic style when making his debut away to Worcestershire 17 years ago.

Essex were in dire straights on 22 for four when the youngster rescued his side with a magnificent 86.

In all he has scored around 17,000 first-class runs at an average of 34 and the last of his 32 centuries came against Cambridge University earlier this season.

His highest score was 245 against Leicestershire at Chelmsford 11 years ago and arrived at a time when he was being tipped for Test honours -- something which has always eluded him.

But he did lift trophies at Lord's in 1997 and 1998. In the first he made 57 as Warwickshire were crushed by nine wickets in the NatWest Trophy final.

And 12 months later his brilliant 92 saw him collect the gold award as Leicestershire were hammered by 192 runs in the Benson & Hedges Cup final.

Paul Prichard in action for Essex recently

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.