Wade to retire from first-class cricket after Sheffield Shield final

Former Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will retire from first-class 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 opted to delay his arrival at the IPL in order to be available for the Sheffield Shield final.

He will continue playing white-ball cricket and is likely to be part of Australia's squad for the T20 World Cup in June.

Hobart-born Wade has won four Shield titles with Victoria, including two as captain, but hasn't tasted success with his home state.

"Firstly, I would like to thank my family, my wife Julia, and kids Winter, Goldie, and Duke, for the sacrifices they have made throughout my career, as I travelled Australia and the world as a red ball cricketer." Wade said in a statement. "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.

"I am grateful to all of my team-mates 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."

Wade played 36 Tests for Australia, averaging 29.87, in a career spanning from 2012 to 2021.

He lost his Test wicketkeeping spot to fellow Tasmanian Tim Paine for the 2017-18 Ashes series, but returned to play against England in 2019 where he scored two centuries in the series. He briefly opened the batting for Australia in the 2020-21 series against India.

Ahead of the Shield final, he has scored 9183 runs at an average of 40.81 and picked up 463 dismissals in a first-class career that began in 2007.

"Red-ball cricket has always been my number one and favourite format," Wade said at a press conference in Hobart. "What I'm going to miss is sitting down after four days of really grinding it out in a first-class game and having a beer with your teammates. I've played franchise leagues around the world and you don't get that feeling."

Jeff Vaughan, the Tasmania coach, said: "I would like to personally thank and congratulate Matthew for all he has done for Tasmania and Australia in red ball cricket, he was always professional, and never shied away from the contest

"While his career with our Shield squad may be coming to an end, we look forward to still having him around our group in white ball cricket for the coming years playing for the Tigers, and in purple for the Hurricanes.

"We hope that we can help send him off with a win in the Sheffield Shield Final next week, and we know that he has given his all for our badge every time he played for Tasmania."

Wade told team-mates of his decision before Tasmania's loss to South Australia in their final Shield game of the regular season, partly citing the effects of back problems which have sidelined him this season. Tasmania had been on track to host the final, but the heavy defeat in that match - and WA's victory over Victoria - means they will have to travel west.

"The last Shield I managed to win was the first time an away team had won in a long time so hopefully I can wind back the clock and get it done again," he said.

Wade 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. He is contracted for another two years with Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL.

"I want to be at my best for white-ball cricket, especially BBL," he said "I feel like the squad we've got with the Hurricanes should be, it is spoken about every year...pushing for finals if not contending for titles.

"Not playing the longer format of the game will give me an opportunity to get stronger, get in the gym a bit more and have some longevity in that format. I've got two years [with Hurricanes] but I'd love to play longer if I could. I feel fresh.

"There certainly isn't [an element of] 'I'm not playing well enough or I don't feel I can contribute enough'. It's more the younger players have managed to shove me out the door."