Australia's Shaun Marsh announces retirement from professional cricket

MELBOURNE: Former Australian batter Shaun Marsh announced his retirement from professional cricket on Saturday, with the Melbourne Renegades' final Big Bash League (BBL) game of the season against Sydney Thunder to be the final game of his career.

Marsh, 40, retires from the sport following the retirement of his long-time Renegades and Aussie teammate Aaron Finch. In the last season, Marsh had called time on his first-class career with Western Australia.

In this BBL season, Marsh has been impressive despite a late start, scoring 181 runs in seven matches at an average of 45.25 with a strike rate of 138.16 in five matches with three fifties.

"I have loved playing for the Renegades; I have met some great people over the last five years and the friendships I have made will last a lifetime," Marsh said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"This playing group is special. They have been amazing to me--amazing teammates and even better friends. Our members and fans are some of the most passionate out there and I am so thankful for their support over the journey. Stick with us, there is a huge amount of talent in this group and I have no doubt they will lead this group back to the top."

"To the Renegades' coaches and staff and everyone behind the scenes, thank you for backing me in from the start and over my final years. It's made my job a little easier out in the middle," he concluded.

Marsh moved to the Renegades during the 2019-20 BBL season following a great spell with the Perth Scorchers, averaging 47.46 in his 40 games for the side.

Marsh also represented Australia in all formats of the game from 2008-19. In 38 Tests, he scored 2,265 runs at an average of 34.31, with six centuries and 10 fifties. His best score was 182. He also played 73 ODIs, scoring 2,773 runs at an average of 40.77, with seven centuries and 15 fifties. His best score was 151. He also featured in 15 T20Is for the Aussies, scoring 255 runs at an average of 18.21, with the best score of 47*.

The left-handed batter had a decorated first-class career, scoring 12,032 runs at an average of 41.20, with 32 centuries and 58 fifties in 324 innings. His best score was 214. In List-A cricket, he scored 7,158 runs in 177 matches at an average of 44.45, with 19 centuries and 38 fifties in 173 innings. His best score was 186. In his T20 career, Marsh scored 7,050 runs at an average of 37.90 and a strike rate of over 128, with two centuries and 57 fifties in 212 innings.