"I've lived my life and lived it to the fullest": Peter Siddle chooses to call time on international career

The 35-year-old collected 221 Test wickets in 67 outings for Australia, and insists there is plenty more first-class cricket with Essex and Victoria left in his system

Australia seamer Peter Siddle has called time on his international career with immediate effect, though he insists he maintains a love for the game and intends to continue at the domestic level for the foreseeable future.

The 35-year-old had been recalled to Justin Langer's squad to play New Zealand at his home ground in Melbourne after Josh Hazlewood bowled just eight deliveries in the opening Test before leaving the field with a hamstring injury, though he ultimately missed out Hazlewood's space in the playing XI to Victoria colleague James Pattinson when the match got under way on Boxing Day.

Siddle's announcement comes after an 11-year career saw him don the Baggy Green on 67 occasions, most recently at Edgbaston, Lord's and The Oval during this summer's Ashes tour of England.

After revealing his decision to his Australia teammates this morning, Siddle said: "I still love the game and still love playing but I'm only getting older. The young guys are amazing players – they're killing it, so it's only going to be harder for me.

"I'm happy with what I've achieved. I'm content, but I still want to play for Victoria, still play Big Bash, and I'll still go over to England this year to play county cricket. I don't know a time frame on how long I'll play domestic cricket but at this stage I'm just going to play for as long as I can while I'm enjoying it, and just be a little bit more relaxed and not have to worry about selections and the pressures of international cricket.

"As a young kid I never thought I'd play one [Test], let alone 67, so I'm very happy.

"I've still got plenty of cricket left, but I've had my time. Time to watch these boys play the way they play at the moment and enjoy cheering them on."

^{Peter Siddle's final outing for Australia came at The Oval in September}

Siddle, who made his Test debut in 2008 and also donned the green and gold for 22 white-ball internationals, finishes his career with 221 Test wickets at an average of 30.66, including eight five-wicket hauls.

His experiences both as a tearaway youngster and a skilful veteran made him a reliable cornerstone of the Australian attack throughout the decade, and the team came calling late in 2018 after almost two years out of the setup when seeking senior players in the aftermath of the Cape Town ball-tampering controversy.

Though Siddle had pondered retirement in discussions with coach Langer and captain Tim Paine during this summer's Ashes series – his sixth such campaign – he told media in Melbourne this morning that the hopes of a fairytale ending on home soil had kept him motivated and hungry.

"I've been discussing this for a good six months. I've been pretty content with when I wanted to do it and roughly how," he added.

"Obviously it didn't quite pan out to get the chance to do it back here at home, but looking at what's around – the guys that are playing out there now and the guys around the country – it's great for Australian cricket. That's what I've liked.

"I think hopefully I've played a part in pushing those young fellas to keep pushing hard, and being able to do it for as long as I have, I'm proud of that. Now I'm actually looking forward to watching these boys go about their business, not just in the rest of the series but going forward. They're always going to be close to my heart and I look forward to seeing them grow as players.

"When you start young and fresh, you can charge in and bowl fast but as you grow older and as you play more games the body sort of starts to wear down and you have to change the way you go about it. I know there's been plenty of criticism over the years about being slower and all these types of things, but I've been able to adjust and find a way."

Siddle claimed a famous hat-trick against England in Sydney on his 26th birthday

Siddle will return to Essex in the new year having previously agreed a two-year contract to be the club's overseas player at the end of 2018. Despite featuring in just eight matches this summer due to international commitments, he finished behind Simon Harmer and Jamie Porter as the county's third-highest wicket-taker in their triumphant County Championship campaign, collecting 34 wickets at 20.08 as the club picked up six of their nine season victories with Siddle in the XI.

His decision also frees him up to play a full role for Adelaide Strikers in the ongoing Big Bash League, with the Jason Gillespie-coached side currently sitting one point clear at the top of the table as the only undefeated team remaining through the opening stages of the competition. 

However, Siddle offered a firm response to a question regarding a potential future on the short-form circuit, insisting that his future lies primarily in the first-class game and suggesting that the vegan diet he converted to in 2012 has been key to his longevity and continued fitness.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on one final home Test after Langer opted to play James Pattinson in Australia for the first time since early 2016 due to a series of injuries, he also spoke warmly of his state teammate and the recent Ashes tour they shared together.

"I've known Patto since he was eight years old, and I've played a lot with him in club cricket all the way up to Victoria and Australia, so to see him back out there after what he's gone through is amazing," Siddle said.

"It puts a big smile on my face watching him charge in, and seeing him get a couple of wickets out there today was great. Those memories of playing alongside him – not just him, all of them, but I think it's been pretty special to play with someone that's like my younger brother.

"I enjoy the hard work that goes into the long-form game, as silly as that sounds to a lot of people. I'm bit of a traditionalist – always have been – so red-ball is the way forward for me.

"I'll still be a part of the Big Bash and I might play a bit of T20 over in England, but the sole focus is going to be red ball in England [with Essex]. If they give me another contract with Victoria next year I'd like to play another season, so we'll see how that goes going forward.

"At the end of the day it's not about how long you can play your career but obviously after that I'm going to have a long life retired and not playing cricket, so I want to make sure that I'm healthy then. I've lived my life and lived it to the fullest so as well as it's helped me during my career today, hopefully [the plant-based diet] can continue to help me out once I'm done."

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