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Brett Lee announces retirement from international cricket. posted under: Australia | All news |
 Australia’s fast bowling legend Brett Lee has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.
“It has been a dream career, I guess, 13 years at the top. I couldn't ask for much more,” the bowler was quoted saying.
“I woke up this morning after not much sleep and it's the right time to go. It just came to me this morning and I just felt it's the right time to leave the game. It's been in the back of my mind for a few months.”
“Thirteen years, Friday the 13th, it's appropriate for me to go.”
Lee, who said that he had planned to end his amazing career after the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka next year, added that he was happy to have played “in a fantastic era, playing with the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist, Steve and Mark Waugh,” heroes of his when he was growing up. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind about one thing: his name deserves to be among them.
“It's now stage two of my life coming up so I'm pretty happy and pretty excited.
“My holiday will be at home, I'm sick of being away,” he said.
Lee also announced it on twitter, thanking his friends and fans. He stated:
“It's official; I have retired from international cricket. Thanks for all your love and support. It's been an amazing 13 years.” – Brett Lee (@BrettLee_58) July 13, 2012.
He spoke about his decision to call it a day before the T20 World Cup, and was quoted saying: “I thought I would go over there and try and play the Twenty20 World Cup (in Sri Lanka in September), but (being) mentally and physically challenged, it would just not be worth it. So I'm walking away happy with the call I've made.”
Brett Lee, whose nickname is ‘Binga’, started his journey when he was just 16, playing first grade cricket for Campbelltown. At one point, he shared the new ball with Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar and even played alongside English batsman Andrew Strauss. He has been playing domestic cricket for his home team, the New South Wales Blues, since 1997.
He duly made his Test debut for Australia in December 1999 against the touring Indians, becoming Australia's 383rd Test cricketer. In his first over ever in Test cricket, he took a wicket when he bowled Sadagoppan Ramesh with his fourth delivery. He also captured Rahul Dravid in his first spell before returning to take three wickets in six balls to finish the innings with figures of 5/47 from 17 overs. There has been no stopping him since.
Lee retired from Test cricket in February 2010, after taking 310 wickets in 76 matches. He has had several major injuries in recent years and was forced home from the one-day series in England early last week after suffering a calf injury.
Along with Shoaib Akhtar, he was rated as one of the best fastest bowlers in the world throughout his career.
Lee took 380 wickets in 221 one-day internationals as well as 28 wickets from 25 Twenty20 appearances for Australia. He retires one wicket short of Glenn McGrath’s record of 381 ODI wickets, which brings to mind that if he had played the remaining matches in the tour of England, he would have been at the top.
“I look back to when I was 19, and, while I hope [my injuries] never happen to anyone else, it's a fact that when you bowl fast injuries happen,” he said this week. “You have to deal with it and you have to learn from what's happened because it makes you a stronger person. I have a saying 'If you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much space' – it means have a crack.”
Lee has a lot of fans all around the world, and every single one of them will be thankful for the amazing memories he leaves behind. |
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