Former Australian wicketkeeper and New South Wales captain Peter Nevill has announced his retirement from professional cricket, effective immediately.
Speaking to reporters at the SCG on Friday morning, the 36-year-old confirmed the 2021/22 Sheffield Shield season would be his last, ending a stellar 13-year first-class career.
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“I always knew that I was close to the end of my career,” he said.
“It was a frustrating season for me, I think I’ve missed more games this season due to injury than the rest of my career combined.
“I’m just incredibly appreciative of the journey I’ve been able to have.
“I’m very proud that I was able to play for Australia, and that I was able to play for such a long time for New South Wales.
“I’d like to think that I was able to squeeze as much juice out of my orange as I could. For a bloke with minimal talent and no shots, I leave the game pretty content.
“The time is right.”
Nevill was Australia’s 443rd men’s Test cricketer, representing his country in 17 Tests and nine T20Is after making his international debut in 2015.
He made his Test debut at Lord’s during the 2015 Ashes series, replacing New South Wales teammate Brad Haddin as the national team’s gloveman.
Nevill pouched a catch on his second delivery at Test level and scored 45 with the bat as Australia secured a thumping 405-run victory at the home of cricket.
Nevill scored 468 Test runs at 22.28 for Australia, contributing 61 catches and two stumpings before he was dropped for Matthew Wade following the infamous Hobart Test against South Africa in 2016.
It was branded a “character-based” selection, with national selector Greg Chappell later confirming Wade was chosen as Nevill’s replacement because he demonstrated “the most mongrel”.
“As I’ve always said, don’t look back in anger,” Nevill told reporters at the SCG.
“I don’t sit there thinking about what ifs anymore. I’d like to think that I most times played with a smile on my face.”
At state level, Nevill was one of New South Wales’ most prolific cricketers after bursting onto the scene in 2009, scoring 5137 runs at 39.21 in 101 Sheffield Shield matches.
No Blues cricketer has scored more first-class runs since Nevill’s debut.
He scored 10 centuries and 27 fifties for the Blues, including a career-best of 235 not out against Tasmania in Hobart in February 2015.
Nevill claimed 310 catches for New South Wales, a state record in the Sheffield Shield. The only Blues wicketkeeper with more dismissals at first-class level is one-Test wonder Phil Emery.
He was one of only four New South Wales cricketers to play 100 Sheffield Shield matches, joining Greg Matthews, Geoff Lawson and Emery on the illustrious list.
Nevill is also the most capped Blues captain of all-time, with 43 first-class matches in charge.
Most Sheffield Shield dismissals for a New South Wales wicketkeeper
Phil Emery – 339 (298 ct, 41 st)
Peter Nevill – 333 (310 ct, 23 st)
Brad Haddin – 306 (282 ct, 24 st)
Steve Rixon – 260 (218 ct, 42 st)
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