Matt Hague has decided to retire from the island side after a decade in Jersey

Jersey captain Matt Hague has announced his retirement from the Jersey cricket team after their relegation from World Cricket League Division Four last week.

The 34-year-old Australian joins Steve and Tony Carlyon and former skipper Meeku Patidar as the latest experienced name to hang up his pads.

By Hague's high standards he had a poor tournament in Tanzania.

Although he hit 53 not out against Italy he only made it into double figures once more with the bat.

"I just feel I'm not quite enjoying it quite as much as I always have and I feel the time's right to step down," he said.

"We've come a fair way since I've been captain so i think maybe it's time to hand over the reigns."

Hague moved to Jersey in 1998 having played first-grade cricket in his native Australia for Melbourne side Fitzroy Doncaster.

He succeeded Meeku Patidar as skipper in 2005 and has guided Jersey through all of their four ICC international tournaments as well as being at the helm when they beat Italy twice to attain Associate member status.

"I came to Jersey in 1998 and Jersey cricket has come so far since then.

"It was always just one game a year against Guernsey, and it was great to play in that, but when we started coming into the ICC it created so many great opportunities.

"The highlight for me was our first tournament in Scotland where we finished second and then we had the chance to become associate members.

"That was a lot of pressure having to go to Italy to win two out of three games and be competitive in the third to get the status, which basically was the door to the World Cricket League."

Among his other highlights was the making the final of the first ever senior international cricket tournament held in Jersey, the World Cricket League Division Five event in May, and the promotion to Division Four in Tanzania that it entailed.

Hague first arrived in the island in 1998 Succeeded Meeku Paitidar as Jersey captain in 2004 Captained Jersey to second place in their first ever tournament, European Division Two in 2006 Skippered Jersey to two wins over Italy in 2007 to gain ICC Associate member status Guided Jersey to inter-insular wins in 2007 and 2008 Was part of the Jersey team which came second in World Cricket league Division Five in 2008 Skippered Jersey to their first international tournament success, European Division Two in 2008 Captained the side in WCL Division Four in Tanzania

"Tanzania was an unbelievable experience, not on the result front, but fantastic to play cricket against better players in a different country."

But Hague does regret the way in which the team played in Tanzania. They lost all but one of their games and finished sixth, missing out on staying the fourth division on net run rate from Tanzania after losing to the hosts in a match that they should have won on the opening day.

And he is also critical of the role that coach Peter Kirsten played in the defeat, after the former South Africa international had guided Jersey to second place in WCL Division Five and victory in the European Division Two tournament in Guernsey.

"We came along a way with Peter and enjoyed a lot of success.

We did so well in World Division Five and the European tournament in Guernsey and we had a lot of success.

"All was happy when we were winning, but when we lost a couple of games [in Tanzania] we saw a different side and I was just disappointed that he almost gave up on the team.

"After two-and-a-half games that was all we had of Peter, so for the last few games we were pretty much doing it all ourselves. It was disappointing after doing so much together that to give up was quite sad really."

But his experience of playing at the highest level for Jersey has given him some ideas of his own on how to improve the standard of cricket in the island.

He has skippered Sporting Club Francais to numerous Jersey titles and three Channel Island Championships.

"When you play in these different tournaments against better sides you realise what we play on a Saturday to what we play in these tournaments is just completely different cricket, it's a different standard by a big distance.

"If you're not playing top level cricket all the time back home it's even harder to step up even when you are chasing runs.

"If you're not having those pressure situations on a Saturday it's hard to do it in these big games.

Playing for Jersey has been wonderful and I appreciate the opportunity I got, but I just feel it's time to step down and spend a bit more time with my family Matt Hague

But Hague says he has no regrets on his time with the island side as he led them on a new odyssey in international sport.

"Playing for Jersey has been wonderful and I appreciate the opportunity I got, but I just feel it's time to step down and spend a a bit more time with my family.

"You do put a lot of effort in with the training, selection and then playing. That's what I'm looking forward to - spending more time with my wife and my little daughter."