Graeme Swann's happy-go-lucky nature belied his status as one of England's greatest spin bowlers and a talisman of the team's three successive Ashes series successes.
Swann shocked the cricket world today by announcing his immediate retirement mid-way through the already doomed series with Australia, sending social media into a twitter over the timing.
The 34-year-old off-spinner always was one of a kind: an eccentric and a dressing-room joker but also a match-winner in his own right.
Swann claimed 255 wickets in 60 Tests in just five years and is sixth on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers for England. England won half the Tests in which he played.
He effectively spearheaded England to Ashes victory over the Australians in the previous series earlier this year with his haul of 26 wickets.
But Swann, troubled by a chronic elbow condition, knew his time was up on the unresponsive Australian pitches as Michael Clarke's team made him work hard for little reward.
He had been under pressure to retain his place in the squad after taking just seven wickets at an average of 80.00 in the first three Tests in Australia.
Swann always played cricket with a smile and was a much-loved figure within the English team.
He triggered an Internet sensation by highlighting the England players' victory jig known as "The Sprinkler" during the 2010/11 Ashes series victory in Australia on his web diary. Thousands of clips were posted on the web.
But he also ran into trouble occasionally. Last week he was forced to apologise for what he called a "crass and offensive" comment after he compared the third Ashes Test loss to Australia to being "raped".
The comment, made in a Facebook exchange with his brother and picked up by British newspapers, prompted upset on social media and from rape charities.
