Rhodes steps away as Suffolk’s pro

SUFFOLK will field a new professional next season after George Rhodes announced he is to step away from the role.

The 32-year-old has called time on his Suffolk career after almost four years as the county’s professional.

The former Worcestershire and Leicester all-rounder did not feature in last season’s NCCA T20 competition due to his work commitments at Malvern College, where he is the cricket professional.

However, he continued to play an integral role in both the Cluberly NCCA Championship, where Suffolk finished runners-up, and the NCCA Trophy, in which Suffolk reached the semi-finals.

Rhodes, who signed for Suffolk in the 2022 season, had said he can no longer commit to representing the county in the NCCA competitions.

He said: “After almost four years as the professional player, I feel the time is right to step away and focus my energy on my career, and on the friends and family who mean so much to me.

“Commuting to a county on the other side of the country has been a real challenge, and in recent seasons it’s become increasingly difficult to balance everything.”

Rhodes (pictured above) played in 15 Championship matches, scoring 1,260 runs at an average of 50.40, with a highest score of 172. He took 24 wickets with his off spin at 29.20 apiece.

Three times he scored 90-plus in an innings in the NCCA Trophy without reaching three figures and last season returned his best figures of 5 for 31 versus Cambridgeshire in the NCCA Trophy Quarter-Final.

Rhodes said of his time at Suffolk: “First and foremost, I’d like to thank every single person who has been involved with Suffolk during my time with the county.

“From the moment I joined, I was made to feel a part of the group, and I’m incredibly grateful for the support that’s been shown to me.

“I know that the ‘people’ is a huge reason why I’ve committed year after year, and I feel truly honoured to have shared the environment with them.

“It’s been a real privilege to represent Suffolk. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time, and have made countless great memories, and more importantly, lifelong friends.

“I continue to be impressed by the quality of the coaching, the ambition of the players, and the way the county continues to grow and develop.

“Personally, one of my proudest moments was becoming a capped player. I was honoured to be made to feel as though I contributed in a way that added value in line with tradition.”

Looking to the future, Rhodes said: “I genuinely believe Suffolk have a squad, coaching team, and support staff capable of winning silverware.

“While I’ve had to accept the ‘close but no cigar’ moments, I’ll be watching closely and cheering on this exciting group of players, I have no doubt they’ll achieve the success they deserve.”

Suffolk head coach Adam Mansfield said: “George has been a fantastic professional both on and off the field. Driving from Malvern every week couldn’t have been easy, yet he never once complained and was always ready to perform at his best.

“His standards were exceptionally high, and that professionalism rubbed off on everyone lucky enough to play alongside him.

“He enjoyed a career to be proud of and continued that excellence with Suffolk. It was capped off perfectly by being awarded his county cap in 2024.

“As he now moves into coaching, I’ve no doubt that, given the opportunity, he’ll make a huge impact there too.

“A is a top bloke, a true professional, and someone I’ll really miss having around the group.”

Jack Beaumont, who captained Rhodes in all three formats, added: “George has been an absolute pleasure to have in a Suffolk shirt and to captain over the past four years.

“His impact, both on and off the field, has been outstanding. George has always set the highest standards, consistently lifting the group even during the toughest moments.

“That speaks volumes about him not just as a player, but most importantly as a person. George will be greatly missed within the squad.

“As a team and as a county, we’ll really miss everything George brings to the group. I hope he knows how highly we regard him, especially after earning his county cap in 2024, which is a real reflection of his commitment and contribution to Suffolk cricket.

“He will always be welcome back with us and the boys have learned a huge amount from his time here.

“We wish him all the very best with his role at Malvern and look forward to seeing him around the circuit soon.”

Tags: George Rhodes, NCCA, Professional

Categorised in: News, Suffolk CCC