Media release – Cricket Tasmania, 15 March 2024
Wade announces retirement from red ball cricket
After a long and illustrious first-class career, Matthew Wade has today announced his retirement from red ball cricket.
The decision was made earlier this month, with Wade informing his fellow Tasmanian teammates before their match against South Australia.
“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.
“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 teammates 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’s journey as a first-class cricketer began after making the difficult decision to leave Tasmania taking a contract with Victoria where his career developed.
He was selected in the first game of the Shield season for Victoria, debuting for the Bushrangers and immediately scoring an impressive 83 runs in the first innings, to go with six catches.
After successful Sheffield Shield campaigns in 2009/10 (677 runs for the season) and 2010/11 (553 runs), Wade was rewarded for his consistency in the longer format in 2012 and was handed a baggy green against the West Indies, where he played alongside fellow Tasmanians Ricky Ponting and Ben Hilfenhaus.
In the 3rd test of the series against the West Indies, Wade established himself as a test cricketer scoring his maiden century in a man-of-the-match performance, 106 off 146 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixes.
After 10 years of playing for Victoria, in a move that pleased all Tasmanian cricket fans, Wade made the decision to move back to his home state to be closer to his family following the birth of his first child, Winter.
In his return season, Wade dominated for Tasmania, scoring 654 runs with three centuries, helping Tasmania to their first Shield final since 2012/13, which unfortunately resulted in a loss.
Another stellar year followed in 2018/19 for Wade, who was announced as captain of his home state during the season, scoring the second most runs in the entire Sheffield Shield competition with 1021 at an average of 60.05.
Wade earned a return to the Australian test team as a batsman, selected in his first test since 2017, scoring 108 to help Australia to a 1st Ashes test victory.
Wade’s leadership is unparalleled to many in the world of cricket, and was always relied upon for tactics and the mentoring of younger teammates as they came up through the ranks.
Head Coach of the Tasmanian Tigers Male program, Jeff Vaughan spoke of Wade’s professionalism and the important role he played in Tasmanian cricket since coming back to Tasmania.
“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.”
While his career in the white ball is far from over, ‘Wadey’ continues to represent Australia in T20 cricket and is contracted to the Hobart Hurricanes for another two seasons.
Matthew Wade remains one of Tasmania’s finest-ever talents who is the ultimate competitor on the field.
