FAMILIAR surroundings provided the perfect backdrop for Michael Coles to say his goodbyes to Minor Counties Championship cricket.

After three seasons as Wiltshire skipper, the 34-year-old is stepping away from leading the county in three-day cricket and played his final match in this week’s four-wicket defeat to Cornwall at Corsham.

Although his side still have four Western Division matches left to play this summer, Coles chose to bring his 13-year three-day career to an end at his home club, with mounting injury niggles taking their toll.

“Just this season, I’ve had hamstring, back and thigh problems and a lot of the guys know that I end up in pain a lot of the time,” said the outgoing Wiltshire captain.

“With club cricket as well, you’re playing four days in-a-row and I’ve had lower back problems for a while, so it’s quite normal that I’ll find it hard to walk until the following Thursday.

“I’ve got a young family too – my little boy, Thomas, is four in September – and I think that it’s time to let the county decide how they’re going to go forward.

“I didn’t want my last game to be at Devon or Shropshire. I thought it would be right that it was at my home club and I’m glad that I got to do that.

“It’s a little bit emotional but I’m still going to try and be involved in the one-day game for as long as I can.”

A battling 78 from Cornwall captain Matthew Robins and an unbeaten 66 from Greg Smith saw Wiltshire fall to a second defeat of the Championship season.

With the scores level after two rain-affected days, the teams faced a final-day decider on Tuesday but it was the visitors who came out on top by four wickets.

After Cornwall declared their first innings on 276-9 overnight on Monday – exactly the same score as Wiltshire had posted - the hosts scored 244 in their second innings, Coles hitting 61, Patrick Greishaber 41 and Tahir Afridi 54.

But Robins and Smith received good support from Paul Smith (30) and Turpin (37) to see Cornwall over the line.