KEITH Fletcher, Essex cricket's most successful captain, said today the county will never find another player with more passion than Ronnie Irani.

Current captain and former England all-rounder Irani is quitting at the end of the season after a series of knee injuries ravaged his career during the past four years.

Fletcher, who skippered the county to every domestic honour during his reign, said: "He has been our most influential cricketer for the past 13 years.

"His passion for the game is unrivalled and he has always striven to achieve the very highest of standards for himself, his team-mates, the county and the Essex fans.

"On the pitch he is a born entertainer, a cricketer's cricketer, with excitement all the way and the fans took to him for the passion he always displayed."

Irani, 35, announced his impending retirement yesterday, at a time when there was a new two-year contract on the table for him.

But he told the Gazette: "I would be kidding myself and the county if I went ahead and signed it.

"I wanted to be honest with the club that has given me so much.

"But I'm an absolute realist and it would be wrong of me to continue, so I've asked the club to withdraw the contract because I wouldn't be able to honour it in the way I would want to"