Sussex's Clare Connor is to retire after a ten-year international career during which time she put women's cricket on the map.

Connor, 29, played 93 one-day internationals and 16 Tests and helped England win back the Ashes after 42 years last summer.

She will continue to play for Sussex and has signed for the Lashings celebrity team, but is devoting most of her time to her teaching career at Brighton College.

Connor missed England's recent tour to India because of an ankle injury which subsequently required surgery. Last summer she was plagued by an elbow problem which required regular pain-killing injections before matches.

"I have agonised over this decision for six months since the team went to India without me," she said. "I haven't missed an international for ten years and it has taken its toll physically. But it has been a great privilege to play for England and the last ten years have been an incredible and unforgettable journey."

On the field Connor quickly established a reputation as a shrewd captain who got the best out of her players.

But she also did a great job raising the profile of women's cricket, especially when she took a two-year sabbatical from teaching to work for Channel 4 and the BBC's Test Match Special programme.

Captain since 2000, she was awarded the MBE for services to women's cricket in 2004 and collected an OBE for services to sport a year later.

The highlight was last August's Ashes triumph when England won back the urn.

She said: "That was very special especially as so many of my team-mates played when I took over the captaincy in 2000 and had been with me every step of the way.

"What I won't miss is the fitness tests and having to watch my diet and wine consumption! But this was the right decision to make. I'm passionate about teaching but I'm looking forward to captaining Sussex and playing for Lashings."