<p class="title">Cecil Wright's name will not rank alongside West Indies legends Viv Richards, Gary Sobers, and Frank Worrell, but for longevity, he outranks them all.</p>.<p>The fast bowler known affectionately as 'Cec' has announced he will retire in two weeks' time -- at the ripe old age of 85. Wright, who in his heyday represented Jamaica against Barbados, lining up against Sobers and Wes Hall, moved to England in 1959 and launched a career as a professional in the Central Lancashire League for Crompton.</p>.<p>After three years, he decided to stay on in England and settled down after meeting his future wife Enid, then having a son.</p>.<p>Wright, who also played with Richards and Joel Garner, another of the great West Indies pace attack of the late 1970s and early 1980s, has taken over 7,000 wickets during a career spanning more than 60 years.</p>.<p>At one point he took 538 wickets in five seasons, averaging one every 27 balls.</p>.<p>"Pretty good going," said cricket Bible Wisden, referring to Wright's stamina.</p>.<p>But finally even he has accepted that the time has come to pull up stumps on his career.</p>.<p>"I wish I knew the reason for my longevity, but I couldn't tell you what it is," he told <em>The Daily Mirror</em>, who estimated that he had played in over two million games.</p>.<p>He once attributed his staying power to his love of traditional no-frills Lancashire food such as a hot pot.</p>.<p>"To be honest, I eat anything that's going but I don't drink much, just the odd beer," he was quoted as saying. "And I keep fit, although these days I use my age as an excuse to miss training.</p>.<p>"I find keeping active helps to ease aches and pains. I don't like to sit still and watch TV, I would rather have a walk or potter about in the garage."</p>.<p>Wright will bring down the final curtain on his career on Saturday, Sept. 7, turning out for Uppermill, near Oldham, against Pennine League side Springhead.</p>
<p class="title">Cecil Wright's name will not rank alongside West Indies legends Viv Richards, Gary Sobers, and Frank Worrell, but for longevity, he outranks them all.</p>.<p>The fast bowler known affectionately as 'Cec' has announced he will retire in two weeks' time -- at the ripe old age of 85. Wright, who in his heyday represented Jamaica against Barbados, lining up against Sobers and Wes Hall, moved to England in 1959 and launched a career as a professional in the Central Lancashire League for Crompton.</p>.<p>After three years, he decided to stay on in England and settled down after meeting his future wife Enid, then having a son.</p>.<p>Wright, who also played with Richards and Joel Garner, another of the great West Indies pace attack of the late 1970s and early 1980s, has taken over 7,000 wickets during a career spanning more than 60 years.</p>.<p>At one point he took 538 wickets in five seasons, averaging one every 27 balls.</p>.<p>"Pretty good going," said cricket Bible Wisden, referring to Wright's stamina.</p>.<p>But finally even he has accepted that the time has come to pull up stumps on his career.</p>.<p>"I wish I knew the reason for my longevity, but I couldn't tell you what it is," he told <em>The Daily Mirror</em>, who estimated that he had played in over two million games.</p>.<p>He once attributed his staying power to his love of traditional no-frills Lancashire food such as a hot pot.</p>.<p>"To be honest, I eat anything that's going but I don't drink much, just the odd beer," he was quoted as saying. "And I keep fit, although these days I use my age as an excuse to miss training.</p>.<p>"I find keeping active helps to ease aches and pains. I don't like to sit still and watch TV, I would rather have a walk or potter about in the garage."</p>.<p>Wright will bring down the final curtain on his career on Saturday, Sept. 7, turning out for Uppermill, near Oldham, against Pennine League side Springhead.</p>