Image Credit- Tasmania
After playing in the
Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania, former Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will
announce his retirement from first-class cricket.
The 36-year-old declared that his 166th and last first-class encounter will be
against Western Australia in Perth on Thursday, the day of the title decider.
Wade made the decision to postpone his IPL arrival so he could attend the
Sheffield Shield final.
He’ll be playing white-ball cricket for the foreseeable future and will
probably be included in Australia’s team for the June T20 World Cup.
Wade, a native of Hobart, has four Shield titles with Victoria, two of which he
earned as captain, but he hasn’t experienced any success with his home state.
“Firstly, I
would like to thank my family, my wife Julia, and kids Winter, Goldie, and
Duke, for the sacrifices they have made throughout my career, as I travelled
Australia and the world as a red ball cricketer.” Wade said in a
statement. “I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that the long-form
game provides, and although I will continue to play white ball cricket, wearing
the baggy green while playing for my country remains a highlight of my career.
“I am grateful to all of my team-mates throughout my career, along with
Cricket Victoria for providing me with the foundations to grow as a first-class
cricketer, and Cricket Tasmania for supporting me in finishing my career as a
cricketer in my home state.”
Ahead of the Shield
final, he has scored 9183 runs at an average of 40.81 and picked up 463
dismissals in a first-class career that began in 2007.
“Red-ball cricket has always been my number one and favourite
format,” Wade said at a press conference in Hobart. “What I’m going
to miss is sitting down after four days of really grinding it out in a
first-class game and having a beer with your teammates. I’ve played franchise
leagues around the world and you don’t get that feeling.”
Jeff Vaughan, the
Tasmania coach, said: “I would like to personally thank and congratulate
Matthew for all he has done for Tasmania and Australia in red ball cricket, he
was always professional, and never shied away from the contest
“While his career with our Shield squad may be coming to an end, we look
forward to still having him around our group in white ball cricket for the
coming years playing for the Tigers, and in purple for the Hurricanes.