New Zealand's Todd Astle Announces Retirement From All Forms Of Cricket

Published - 16 Feb 2023, 06:14 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM

Todd Astle receives his WTC medal from NZC president Debbie Hockley (PC-Getty Images)

Todd Astle, a Canterbury veteran, has retired from professional cricket at the age of 36, following the Super Smash final on Saturday. Astle had already concluded his red-ball career in 2020 and had concentrated on limited-overs cricket for the previous two years.

Todd Astle won 11 wickets in as many games in his past tournament’s Super Smash while maintaining a superb economy rate of 6.70. Astle spearheaded Canterbury’s assault when Henry Shipley and Ish Sodhi were away with the New Zealand team in India and Matt Henry was on the sidelines, but Canterbury ultimately lost their third straight Super Smash final.

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At the championship game in Christchurch, where Astle’s career began in 2005 when Gary Stead, the current head coach of New Zealand, was still playing for Canterbury, Astle recorded 1 for 30 in his four overs.

Todd Astle Announces Retirement

“Thanks for the memories. Thanks for the experiences, the learning and the growing,” Astle posted on Instagram. “Thanks for the adversity, the people and of course the incredible journey it has been.

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“It’s time to finish as a player after 18 seasons and I can’t help but feel so proud of what you’ve taught and given me. It certainly has been a roller coaster with twists and turns along the way, but that’s what makes the game so rewarding. I finish still enjoying the game and loving my craft. What an honour it has been to represent NZ as a Blackcap, my beloved Canterbury and also club OBC [Old Boys Collegians].”

In addition to partnering with Stead to assist New Zealand to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2021, Todd Astle’s international accomplishments also include taking 3 for 33 on his ODI debut against the West Indies in Whangarei in 2017. Although he only participated in the warm-ups, he was a member of the New Zealand T20 team that advanced to its first-ever T20 World Cup final in the UAE in 2021.

Todd Astle played for Canterbury for more than 300 domestic games, although he only made a handful of appearances for New Zealand (19 over nine years). Astle leaves Canterbury as the team’s top first-class wicket-taker with 334 strikes despite having begun his Under-19 and domestic career as a batsman.

Todd Astle had opened the batting for New Zealand with Martin Guptill in 2005–06 Under–19 World Cup in Sri Lanka, where he finished as the third-highest run-getter in the competition behind England’s Eoin Morgan and India’s Cheteshwar Pujara, who had also announced his retirement this week. However, Astle’s career at Canterbury was completely changed by his transformation into a leg-spin bowling all-rounder.

Todd Astle took Chris Martin’s position as a replacement when the fast bowler was called up to the New Zealand side in March 2010. On the fourth and final day, Astle picked up his first five-wicket haul to help spin Canterbury to victory in Queenstown. Astle began to take his bowling more seriously after that and was Canterbury’s leading wicket-taker in the Plunket Shield championships of 2010–11, 2013–14, and 2014–15.

Under Fulton’s leadership throughout those seasons, Astle in particular flourished, and when Fulton was appointed head coach of Canterbury, he continued to deploy his wrist-spinner as an aggressive option.

Although Todd Astle and Canterbury were unable to win the domestic T20 championship, they did win the 50-over Ford Trophy. Since 2005–2006, when the competition’s first edition was conducted, they haven’t won it. Astle had the chance to go with the title, but Northern Districts ruined his opportunity to say goodbye on his home field.

After Amy Satterthwaite, Astle is Canterbury’s second well-known player to have announced his retirement this year.

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