Intro:

Australia bowler Ryan Harris retires from cricket with immediate effect and is replaced in the Ashes squad by Pat Cummins. Captain Michael Clarke praises the 35-year-old as 'one of the best'.

Script:

SOUNDBITE: (English) Ryan Harris, Australian cricketer:

"Went home yesterday. I went and had a good think about a few things and chased down all the facts of where I was at and what exactly was the problem, and yeah, it was all pretty hard... but it is what it is I guess, that's the bottom line. It's something that I can't help. It's been a problem for a while now and I've been lucky enough to get through as much as I have. I was hoping it wasn't coming to this, I was hoping that I had more control over it but, as I said, it is what it is."

SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Clarke, Australia captain:

"I've said through my career that he is my number one pick bowler in any team I've played with. Every time I've asked him to do a job he's done it. If I asked him to run through a brick wall and for this team I think he'd have a crack at it. He's always worn his heart on his sleeve, he's always given his best to... not just Australian cricket but Queensland, South Australia, every team he's played with. He loves winning as much as I do, and that's a great trait to have. So there's no doubt we'll miss him, but as I said to "Rhino" this morning, I think it's really important for us to celebrate what has been an amazing career - he says 27 Tests, to me it's felt like a hundred, I don't remember playing a Test match without him, that's how fond my memories are of how great a bowler he's been. His statistics speak for themselves, he's as good as anyone to play for Australia. Yeah, and like I say, I really hope that, well, us as players, Australian public in particular, and I hope the media, really celebrate what has been an amazing career."