There were good times and some tough times throughout his first class career, but Nikita Miller enjoyed every bit of it.

A loss to Barbados Pride in their recently concluded four-day game was not the way the veteran left-arm orthodox spinner intended to conclude his career, but the timing seemed just right to pull up stumps after 14 remarkable years.

“On Friday I did my back after about 12 overs. I had the physiotherapist on the field about three times so I was kind of struggling, but I was just going through the motions — bowling within myself just to complete my spell — because Jerome [Taylor] was off the field with a hamstring problem and Derval [Green] was also off the field with a knee problem.

“So I had to fight through my back issue to stay on the park because if I had come off, then we would have been short three bowlers. I was looking forward to going to Trinidad and close it (first class career) out there, but that was what really changed my mind. It is unfortunate, but a good end,” Miller told journalists after Jamaica Scorpions’ narrow two-wicket loss to the Pride at Sabina Park on Sunday.

The 36-year-old had been a hugely consistent performer in the domestic game since making his debut in January 2005 against the Leeward Islands in Jamaica, and holds an extraordinary first class record which has etched his name in the annals of cricketing history.

Miller’s 6-106 in the recently concluded game saw him ending the season as the competition’s third-highest wicket taker with 41 scalps, as he took his overall tally to 538 wickets in 100 games at an average of 16.31. His record includes 35 five-wicket hauls and 12 10-wicket hauls.

The former captain has also been handy with the bat, scoring 2,296 runs averaging 17.52, with a best score of 86.

However, instead of dwelling on the numbers Miller’s fondest memories will be of the camaraderie between himself and teammates, who valiantly represented the country over the years.

“It is the last game so I am just going to have a discussion with the guys and show my appreciation to the teammates. I played for a number of years and I enjoyed being in the company of these guys as well as past captain Tamar Lambert, and some of the other players from my time.

“So I think it was a great career and I totally enjoyed myself playing in this competition against some great players as well, so I can say I left on a good scale,” Miller noted.

As of June 2013 Miller boasted the lowest first class bowling average (15.51) of any active player in world cricket, and despite his overwhelming returns in regional cricket, he was consistently overlooked by the West Indies selectors for a spot in the Test set up. His Test debut in 2009 is his only appearance.

Still, the St Elizabeth native was grateful for each experience as he paid tribute to those who played an integral part in his development and inevitable success.

“I got a very good start at STETHS through coach Junior Bennett and Dr Donovan Bennett. The foundations were set there for a very good career. At the club level there was the late Colin Fletcher and former Scorpions coach Robert Samuels, among many others. I learned confidence and how to be mentally strong. These are things which are now a part of me, on and off the field,” Miller noted.

And as he continued down the memory lane, the Melbourne Cricket Club product reflected on one of his 10-wicket hauls against Trinidad and Tobago at Sabina Park in the final of the Carib Challenge in April 2008.

Jamaica won the encounter by nine wickets, where Miller got 5-29 in the first innings then 5-92 in the second.

“It was my first five-wicket haul and then I followed it up with five more in the second innings, so I ended the game with 10. It was special because going into that game I trailed [Amit] Jaggernauth by about nine wickets, but the (Jamaica) team got together and said they were going to make me the number one wicket-taker in the regional competition. I ended up winning the Courtney Walsh Award by one wicket; I’ll never forget that,” said Miller.