The King of Spain is dead(ish). Long live the King.

The ‘King of Spain’ – Ashley Giles – has retired from cricket (but is thankfully alive and well.) ‘Gilo’ has struggled with injuries throughout his career, especially so in the last 2 years and has been forced into retirement by constant hip problems. He will be fondly remembered by English cricket fans (indeed any cricket fans that enjoy watching Australia lose, which is just about anyone who isn’t from Down Under) for his part in regaining the 2005 Ashes. Giles took 10 wickets, proved a very useful gully fielder (5 catches) and perhaps most memorably, scored a half century and assisted Kevin Pietersen in seeing off the Australian’s last ditch attempt to get their hands back on the Urn.

Giles has always been more popular with (former coach) Duncan Fletcher & his team-mates than with the press. He was a steady, reliable cricketer who contributed much to England’s considerable improvement over the last 7 years, but always suffered in comparison with Shane Warne, the flamboyant talisman of international cricket and a genius. It was never a fair comparison and England skipper Michael Vaughan told the BBC how highly he regards ‘the King of Spain’:

"Ashley's retirement is very sad news and everyone in the England dressing room will miss his professionalism and, of course, his sense of humour. In my view, Ashley has to be one of the most under-rated cricketers ever to pull on an England shirt. He was a key member of the England Test side which won six successive Test series and I know how much his team-mates valued his contributions to our success."

Gilo himself said: "I would have liked to have left cricket at the very top, still playing the game I have always loved. But there is no chance of me returning to cricket at any level, whether it be on the village green or Test arena."

So long, Ashley. We'll look forward to your words of wisdom on Test Match Special. Enjoy the cakes.