MELBOURNE, Dec 21: England fast bowler Steve Harmison announced on Thursday he was retiring from one-day cricket, three months before the World Cup. Harmison, 28, decided to suddenly quit after being left out of England's 16-man squad for the upcoming triangular series with Australia and New Zealand, the last tournament before next year's World Cup in the West Indies.

“After careful consideration and having taken advice from several people who have been close to me throughout my career, I have decided to retire from One-day International cricket with immediate effect,” Harmison said in a statement released by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

“This has been a difficult decision but I want to play at the highest level for as long as I can and believe that concentrating solely on Test cricket is the best way forward for me during the next phase of what will hopefully be a long England career.”—Reuters