Peter Siddle retires from international cricket but vows to keep playing ‘until the body shuts down’
Peter Siddle has no desire to end his red-ball career anytime soon despite announcing his international retirement, and the veteran paceman reveals what’s driving him to keep playing for as long as he can.
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Peter Siddle plans to continue travelling around the world in search of taking a magical 700th first-class wicket despite announcing his retirement from Australia.
Siddle, 35, told the Herald Sun that his body was still feeling fresh and that injuries suffered earlier in his career had breathed new life into his final few seasons.
The Victorian workhorse took his 600th first-class wicket in a Sheffield Shield match for Victoria last month and plans to play for Essex next winter to keep his red-ball career alive.
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Siddle, who has played 67 Tests, informed his Australian teammates of his decision on the MCG before play on day four of the Boxing Day Test.
Great player, great bloke, great mate, great @NMFCOfficial fan, always first player picked in my team. Congrats @petersiddle403 pic.twitter.com/K67Juesloo
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) December 29, 2019
He finished his Test career with 221 wickets, including eight five-wicket hauls, leaving him 13th on the overall list for Australia, and will also be remembered for the hat-trick he claimed on his birthday against England at the Gabba in 2010.
“It’s all going to be reliant on the body. I’ve clocked over 600 first-class wickets a couple of weeks ago – 700 is a nice number,” Siddle told the Herald Sun on the eve of the Boxing Day Test.
“I’ll try and have a crack at that and get to there. It would be pretty big
“It’s a big number, and it means I’ve played a lot of games, but I enjoy playing it and while I still love it I’ll continue to play.
“If it’s not for Australia it’ll be for Victoria, Essex, Adelaide Strikers … and I’ll continue to play until the body shuts down.”
Siddle ’s omission from the squad for the final Test against New Zealand in Sydney, with no more Test cricket for Australia until a two-match tour of Bangladesh in June, was the beginning of the end for the game’s most famous vegan.
He was still dreaming of a shock Boxing Day call-up when he declared he was targeting 700 scalps.
While Siddle has since called time on his distinguished Test career he remains dedicated to the Vics.
“If it doesn’t fall my way (on Boxing Day), so be it. If it does fall my way then I’m ready to go,” he said.
“If it’s not here (Boxing Day) then it’s back into Big Bash, finish the (Sheffield Shield) season for Victoria and then straight back over to England to play for Essex.
“It’s always hectic, I love playing cricket. Back over to England and just keep going.
“It probably helps that the injury I had to my ankle and back a couple of years ago probably came at a good time in a way.
Breaking: Peter Siddle has announced his retirement from international cricket.
— #7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 28, 2019
Simon Katich: "He's had a fantastic career for Australia, he's much loved by his teammates and they'll miss him around the group." pic.twitter.com/ktUVdgonsc
“I was still young enough to not get discounted and it still gave me a chance to continue playing.
“Those 18 months of freshening up probably gave me a little bit more longevity. I’m probably seeing the benefits of that now, it freshened up the body mentally and physically.”
Siddle said he considered retirement after Australia retained the Ashes and discussed the matter with captain Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer in England.
Siddle said it was “always hard to know when the right time is”.
“Once I had ticked that (the Ashes) off … I could have done it there,” he told Fox Cricket.
“That chance of maybe getting one last crack in Australia, to do it at home, would have been nice.
“I’m obviously very happy and a bit sad.”
Siddle was the final-over hero for Strikers as they held off Melbourne Stars in Friday night’s Big Bash match at Metricon Stadium.
Siddle also played 20 one day internationals, the most recent coming as a shock inclusion in January this year, 10 years after his ODI debut.
Langer described Siddle as a true team man.
“The year after I retired from playing, Matty Hayden and Ricky Ponting were raving about this guy called Peter Siddle,” Langer said.
“If it came from them, you knew it was right and so it proved throughout his brilliant international career.
“He is an unbelievable bloke and an extremely good cricketer. He is the everything of what a team player is. He has given his heart and soul to the Australian team and the game of cricket.
“We’ll always be thankful to him for what he’s given to the national team, and for the critical role he played in helping us retain the Ashes in England this year. He’s going out when he’s still playing well which, in a perfect world, is something every athlete wants to do.”
Originally published as Peter Siddle retires from international cricket but vows to keep playing ‘until the body shuts down’