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| December 22, 2006 | Friday | Ziqa'ad 30, 1427 |
Legendary Warne decides to hang up his boots
MELBOURNE, Dec 21: Legendary spin bowler Shane Warne announced on Thursday he will retire from international and Australian cricket at the end of the current Ashes series against England.
“I'm going to announce my retirement from international cricket, domestic cricket, Victoria and Saint Kilda as well,” the sport's greatest wicket-taker told reporters.
“It's been unbelievable – my journey and my ride in international cricket has been phenomenal.”
Warne said he would see out the remaining two years of his contract with English county side Hampshire.
He said he felt ready to retire at the end of the current Ashes series, which Australia clinched with an unassailable 3-0 lead last week to regain international cricket's oldest trophy after a shock loss to England last year.
“For me, it was a mission to get that urn back,” he said.
Warne said he had initially doubted advice from people that he would know when it was time to call stumps on his remarkable career but he now knew it was time to go.
“My time is now,” he said. “I couldn't have asked for things to go any better.
“I'm a very happy man. I probably would have retired after the 2005 Ashes had we won, but that was not to be. There was unfinished business.”
Warne said he rated this month's stunning fifth-day victory over England in the second Test at Adelaide as a highlight that helped him to leave cricket while on the top of his game.
“Adelaide did that – I think that the best Test match I've ever played in,” he said.
Warne will play the fourth Ashes Test before his adoring hometown crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground beginning Dec 26, where he is expected to claim his 700th wicket. His Test swansong will be the fifth Test in Sydney.
“I've given everything I possibly could to the cause, and that was winning.
Cricket to me is my hobby, my passion and I love doing it. Yeah, I'll probably miss it... I've missed One-day Internationals for the last four years.”
Warne said he felt privileged to have played in a champion Australian side and felt he had given something to the game's fans.
“People have turned up, I like to think that I've given them entertainment and I've tried my guts out every single time,” he said.
Warne, who is expected to take up a position with Channel Nine's commentary team, said his focus in retirement would be spending more time with his three children.
On his immediate future, Warne said: “My focus is these next two Test matches and after that I'll sit back and have a few quiet beers and few smokes and try and weigh it all up and see what the future holds.”
Meanwhile, Warne said India's Sachin Tendulkar and the West Indies' Brian Lara were the toughest batsmen he played against. Reflecting on a stellar Test career, Warne said Tendulkar and Lara were the batsmen he feared most.
“Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara are the two best batsmen of my era,” he said.
“I think those two guys have been the toughest at international level.
Brian Lara because of his placement. I can't believe it, it's just amazing his placement in cricket.
“He can dominate a game, as we've seen over the years, no matter who's bowling.” Warne, no stranger to the spotlight, praised the way Tendulkar handled scrutiny in India.
“I really admire Sachin for what he has to go through every day in India, with a billion people wanting him to do well,” he said.
“There's 50,000 people outside the stadium and when he walks up to bat they all charge in. One of the hardest things when you've been a successful player is everybody else's expectations. They can wear you down after a while.”
Warne rated Australia's loss to Sri Lanka in the 1996 Cricket World Cup as the lowlight of his career.
He said this month's Test victory over England in Adelaide was a highlight, along with a Test against Sri Lanka in 1992 in which he took three quick wickets to help Australia to a come-from-behind win. He said it made him feel part of the Test team for the first time.—AFP
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