Former Test gloveman Matthew Wade will retire from red-ball cricket after playing the Sheffield Shield final for Tasmania.
The 36-year-old has announced the title decider starting on Thursday against Western Australia in Perth will be his 166th and final first-class match.
Wade will continue playing white-ball cricket and is likely to be part of Australia’s squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in June.
“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,” Wade said in a statement.
“I am grateful to all of my teammates 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.”
Hobart-born Wade has won four Shield titles with Victoria, including two as captain, but hasn’t tasted success with his home state.
He played 36 Tests for Australia, averaging almost 30, in a career spanning from 2012 to 2021.
Wade lost his Test wicketkeeping spot to fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine for the 2017/18 Ashes series, but returned to play against England in 2019.
He has scored 9183 runs at an average of almost 41 and picked up 463 dismissals in a first-class career that began in 2007 and included stints with English club Warwickshire.
Wade told teammates of his decision before Tasmania’s loss to South Australia in their final Shield game of the regular season.
He has developed into a finisher in the shorter formats in recent years, and posted a match-winning knock in the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final on Australia’s path to the trophy.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
How I remember it is Wadey bowled then ran around and wicket kept to his own bowling.
Andrew
Roar Rookie
Weren't they largely bouncers with the keeper standing up.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
He knew he didn't want to anyone a chance to take his spot.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
He might not've known?
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Onya Wadey. That over you bowled in tests while you were keeping is one of the truly great things.
mrl
Roar Rookie
Incredibly brave…to not inform the selectors he was half blind?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I needed a laugh.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I'm sure the AFL have such a business model in the works.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Every time Wade comes up, I like to point out the fact that he’s colourblind and could barely see the pink ball in day-night tests, and the innings in Adelaide where he took short ball after short ball to body against Neil Wagner was as a result of that impairment (Chris Rogers retired prior to the inaugural day-night test for the same reason, though he was on his verge of retirement anyway). So Wade is definitely… brave.
Little Billy Bagwell
Roar Rookie
It was a poem from the heart. Poem is actuallyfor Wade but called "Kebob from Crete" I got another one for Reece Walsh called "Total eclipse of fart"
ant
Roar Rookie
I'm hiring you to create the lyrics for my next band song. It's gonna be a hit.
Little Billy Bagwell
Roar Rookie
Thanks Wade-o!! Never forget time I saw him hit a tonne. Was eating a beef kebob at the time down at Blundestone. Here is my ode to Wade: It (the kebob) went down a treat that great garlic meat then i made a retreat and broke a dunny seat it all looked like peat splattered o' my bare feet that kebob from Crete will never defeat a batsmen so neat. Enjoy retirement!
Gamechanger
Roar Rookie
Great Ashes 117 at the Oval in 2019 and many other highlights. Well done Mathew Wade
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Soccer and the Rugbys have England’s famous worldwide propensity and need to walk into other countries and shooting people to thank for the spread of those sports. Australia, OTH, has been an abject failure at instigating a murderous hegemony and to feel the need for narcissistic domination.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
And has a Shield average of 47 over the second half of his career. Hardly any players do that any more, which is a worry. But I’ll never forgive him for introducing bowled, Garry - imagine naming a champion of our great national game after some obscure ex-player from a sport that no one around the world and half the country have never heard of! :stoked:
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Not too many players with four shield titles,kudos to him.
Tempo
Roar Rookie
Never quite cracked it as a test batter, but he'll go down as one of the best Shield bats of his generation, one of the few domestic bats to average 40+ in FC cricket. Hopefully he can add another T20 World Cup win before his international career is over.
Sportstragic
Roar Rookie
Congratulations to him. He has had a great career! And seems like he will do the 20/20 circuit now
jameswm
Roar Guru
Congrats on the red ball career Wadey.