Agencies
Sydney, January 15
Australian paceman Brett Lee will retire from Twenty20 cricket following the conclusion of the ongoing Big Bash League, ending a 20-year long career. The 38-year-old, who announced his retirement on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground, called time on his international career in July 2012, but continued playing T20s in both the Indian Premier League and the BBL.
Lee is currently playing in the Big Bash League for Sydney Sixers which will now be his last tournament of competitive cricket. His team has one match remaining, against cross-town rivals the Sydney Thunder next Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground ahead of a possible finals clash."I knew before the season started that this was going to be my last season," Lee said. "I met with Trevor Bayliss [coach] and the talk was will I play for another two or three years, and I had that option, but I said to him straight away I want to make this my last year, I really want to enjoy this year.
"When that last ball's bowled I'll walk off happy and content. I'm excited, I'm emotional, I'm happy, but I'm certainly not worried because I know that I've made the right call."
Lee has played in 117 T20s in which he has taken 105 wickets at 30.27 since making his debut in the format in the inaugural T20I between Australia and New Zealand in 2005.
In 76 Tests for Australia, he took 310 wickets, and in 221 ODIs collected 380 scalps. His fastest delivery cracked the 161 kilometres per hour mark (100 miles per hour), with the blond speedster consistently bowling at 150kph over 20 years, making him a fearsome opponent through his sheer pace and toe-crushing inswinging yorkers.
"He has been an exceptional cricketer who gained fans around the world not only for his electrifying pace and performances with the ball, but the way that he played the game," said Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland. "Sir Donald Bradman often said that it is a player's responsibility to leave the game in a better state than when they first became involved. Brett Lee has certainly done that."
