Ryan Stevenson & Brad Taylor Announce Retirement From Professional Cricket

Hampshire Cricket’s Brad Taylor and Ryan Stevenson have announced their retirement from professional cricket following the end of the 2021 season.

All-rounder Taylor represented Hampshire’s youth squads as a youngster and first hit the headlines in 2013 at the age of 16 when he became the youngest player in 135 years to appear for the Club.

Taylor picked up a wicket with his third ball of the game against Lancashire on debut, breaking a 146-year-old record as the youngest player to take a wicket for Hampshire.

The Winchester born off-spinner was awarded with a contract at Hampshire in 2015 and captained the England U19s on their winter tour to Sri Lanka in the same year.

Taylor made his biggest impact in Hampshire’s List A side with 18 appearances, picking up 15 wickets and averaging 35 with the bat. In total he made 32 appearances for the Club.

After catching the eye at a minor counties match for Devon, Stevenson was offered a trial mid-way through the 2015 season. The right-armer immediately impressed the coaching staff in Hampshire’s Second XI and earned a full contract.

Stevenson featured in three key LV= County Championship games at the end of 2015 as Hampshire fought successfully to avoid relegation from Division One.

Injuries impacted Stevenson’s progress but he enjoyed a 2019 campaign as part of the Second XI where he led the bowling attack in all formats and made vital contributions to the side's Second XI Championship title, including a five-wicket haul in the competition final.

That year he also made appearances in the Vitality Blast and County Championship, recording a four-wicket haul and maiden First-Class fifty against Surrey.

Hampshire Cricket would like to take this opportunity to thank Brad & Ryan for their efforts and wish them well for the future.