Peter Siddle announces retirement from international cricket
Peter Siddle has announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 35. He informed his teammates about the decision before the commencement of the fourth day of the MCG Test, and then went back to play the Big Bash League.
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Siddle has been a workhorse for Australia and has often come up trumps in situations when the national team needed him the most. His fantastic debut in 2008 versus India at Mohali, where he picked up a five-wicket haul, and the hat-trick on his birthday versus England at Brisbane back in the 2010-11 Ashes, stand out in particular.
The 35-year-old played 67 Tests for Australia and expressed that winning the Ashes in England was a very special way to end his career as that was one of his main goals.
"It's always hard to know when the right time is," Siddle told Fox Cricket.
"The Ashes was the main goal, to try and get on that touring party and be a part of that series," he further added.
Siddle is going to continue playing franchise cricket for Adelaide Strikers and domestic cricket for Victoria, as well as for county side Essex. He just bowled a fantastic final over for the Strikers a couple of days ago to beat the Melbourne Stars, showing that he still has it in him to play cricket at a high level.
"I'm still going to play cricket for Victoria, still going to go over and play county cricket for Essex, I love playing cricket," he asserted.
"I'm enjoying myself, I love the Big Bash, and to have games like the other night (against Melbourne Stars) is pretty weird – I'd told JL the day before that I was done, and the relief of being able to go out with no pressure on my shoulders probably helped," Siddle concluded.
Australia will certainly miss a hard-working cricketer like Siddle, and his fans would be hoping he continues playing at the domestic level for a long time to come.