Subbies Cricket: Caulfield and former St Kilda paceman Adam Warren retires from cricket

After a tremendous career that even took in first-class appearances for Yorkshire, Caulfield veteran Adam Warren has retired from cricket.

Adam Warren bending his back for St Kilda.

THERE it is, recorded on Cricketarchive.com, three appearances for Yorkshire for AC Warren.

Born in Hobart, a strong performer in Sydney Grade cricket, a two-time premiership player for St Kilda in Victorian Premier Cricket and a three-time premiership player for Caulfield in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association, Adam Warren had a County cricket cameo in 2005.

His mother is British, and the List A and two Twenty20 Cup matches came to him at the age of 28.

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He held his own for Yorkshire too, removing English Test player Darren Maddy in a 45-over game at Leceistershire and picking up New Zealand Test man Nathan Astle and fellow international Phil Mustard in a T20 against Durham.

He has happy memories of those dismissals and of playing alongside Ian Harvey, Craig White, Phil Jacques, Tim Bresnan and Richard Dawson.

Less pleasant but just as sharp is his recollection of being taken for a soaring six by South African international Dale Benkenstein.

“It was like a gunshot off the bat,’’ he said. “And it went sailing into the crowd at Durham. Went miles!’’

Adam Warren letting fly for Caulfield.

In the end Yorkshire had to let him go for financial reasons.

“Was I disappointed? Yes. But let’s not go too far. It wasn’t like I’d set the world on fire, wasn’t like I was really harshly done by,’’ Warren said.

“I was a reasonable player but not someone worth spending extra money on, I suppose.’’

But while his time with Yorkshire was brief, Warren has been a much-respected figure in Melbourne cricket for a long time and his retirement is worth recording.

Adam Warren bowling for Randwick/Petersham.

After playing a handful of Second XI matches for NSW, he relocated to Victoria ahead of the 2003-04 season, first stop Prahran.

He switched to St Kilda the following season, joining a formidable team and strengthening it with his accurate pace bowling and useful down-the-list batting.

There were two premierships, three on-day titles and a Twenty 20 crown with the Saints.

Warren had 146 matches in Premier Cricket, taking 226 wickets 21.13 and pushing him past 500 wickets in First XI club cricket (he was a fine performer for Randwick and Randwick/Petersham).

Adam Warren (left) enjoying premiership success with Caulfield teammates Graeme Rummans and Lachie Graf.

Then he headed for Caulfield, initially as coach.

In his first season at the Fielders they sailed through undefeated.

Two more premierships and four other grand finals followed in the next seven years.

More recently he’s been predominantly a batsman, his bowling bowing to his age.

“The reality is, my last couple of dismissals weren’t all that great,’’ Warren, 43, said of his decision to retire.

“My impact on games was getting less and less, and to be honest it was getting to the point where I wasn’t contributing all that much. While I still feel pretty good with the bat at times I’m making mistakes now that I shouldn’t really be making and therefore I’m not really effective, other than being able to give a bit of advice on the field.

“The other thing is, I’ve got a 16-month-old son who I’d like to spend my Saturdays with.’’

Warren played 110 matches for Caulfield, capturing 139 wickets at 17.46 and hitting 1832 runs at 28.63, with a highest score of 152 not out.

He said he had been “really lucky’’ to play in successful teams at St Kilda and Caulfield and form lasting friendships at both clubs.

“I’ve loved it,’’ he said.

Caulfield farewelled Warren at its end-of-season presentation on Friday night.