England pacer John Turner has announced his retirement from professional cricket after a prolonged battle with a back injury. He represented the Three Lions in four white-ball internationals, claiming three wickets, during 2024, but hasnโt featured in professional cricket since June 2025 because of a stress fracture in his back.
The 25-year-old had previously held an England and Wales Cricket Board development contract until late last year and had signed a Hampshire deal running through the end of the 2027 season less than a year ago. However, injuries have sidelined him for the majority of the period. In the meantime, Turner has issued a statement, confirming his decision to retire.
โIt was always my dream to play professional and international cricket, and doing so for Hampshire and England has been nothing short of living out those same childhood dreams,โ Turner said.ย
โI have, however, decided to retire from the game, and as you can imagine, this has been one of the hardest decisions Iโve had to make. The stress fracture, which has sidelined me for over a year, as well as my injury record, naturally made me think of my future both as a cricketer and away from the game, and subsequently, I decided now was the right time to pursue my next challenge,โ he added.
Turnerโs journey to England cricket
Turner relocated from South Africa to the United Kingdom in 2021 and made his Hampshire debut in the One-Day Cup later that year. His first professional wicket came against Alastair Cook and he also finished the competition as Hampshire’s joint second-highest wicket-taker.ย
Furthermore, he claimed a five-wicket haul on his first-class debut against a Sri Lanka development XI and went on to play six County Championship matches. A loan spell with Lancashire followed in early 2025 before injury interrupted his progress.
His strongest impact came in the shortest format. Turner clinched 21 wickets at an average of 11.76 during the 2023 T20 Blast, which helped the cricketer earn his maiden England call-up ater in the year. He also represented Trent Rockets in The Hundred, playing five matches and taking six wickets.
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