Mark Waugh has announced his retirement from international cricket today
after being dropped from the Australian squad for the first Test against
England.
Waugh, 37, told a media conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground he felt
he still had the ability to play at international level. However, the
128-Test veteran said he might not have made the most of opportunities
last season against New Zealand and South Africa to consolidate his
position in the Australian side.
Waugh said he had played in a great era for Australian cricket, which
included a 16-Test winning streak and the 1999 World Cup victory. He did
not see age as an issue in selection, and said his replacement Darren
Lehmann, 32, might have five years or 50 Tests ahead of him.
In Tests, Waugh made 8029 runs at 41.81 and claimed 59 wickets at 41.16,
while his extraordinary fielding yielded 181 catches. He also scored
8500 runs and took 85 wickets and 108 catches in one-day internationals.
Waugh plans to play for New South Wales this summer, and has also
received offers from counties in England to play at the end of the
Australian domestic season.