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Elbow injury forces Shaun Tait to call time on cricket career

How will Tait and his thunderbolts go on Indian decks? (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Roar Guru
27th March, 2017
0

Shaun Tait, one of the fastest bowlers to play for Australia, has retired from cricket due to a chronic elbow injury.

The South Australian represented his country in all three formats, playing three Tests, 35 one-day internationals and 21 Twenty20 matches for Australia.

With his unusual slinging action, the 34-year-old Tait bowled one of the fastest deliveries in the game’s history in an ODI in 2010 against England, recorded as 161.1km/h.

But he has struggled with form and fitness in recent years, failing to play a Matador Cup match last year and not featuring in the Redbacks’ Sheffield Shield season.

He played four Big Bash League matches in 2016-17, claiming four wickets at an economy rate of 12.49.

“I honestly wanted to play a couple more years, whether it was over in the UK or here,” Tait told the Cricket Australia website.

“The elbow has pretty much gone off a cliff now. It’s done and dusted. I’m 34-years-old and I suppose when you’re not contributing on the field as much as you’d like to, it’s time to finish up.

“Pretty much getting left out of the side or not being able to play because of my elbow, either way there’s no point going on with it.”

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“I knew it was going to be difficult getting older to compete with the young blokes.”

Tait made his Test debut in the 2005 Ashes series in England, taking three for 97 – his career-best bowling figures – in the first innings.

He was most effective in limited overs cricket, taking 62 ODI wickets at an average of 23.56, and was part of Australia World Cup-winning squad in 2007.

Tait also played stints in the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League.

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