Former Australia skipper Tim Paine retires from cricket as bold verdict made

17 March 2023 , 12:58

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Paine was hailed as Australia's finest ever wicket keeper in his last match (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Former Australia captain Tim Paine has retired from cricket following Tasmania's final Sheffield Shield match of the season.

Paine has called time on his 18-year playing career 16 months after standing down as Australia skipper on the eve of the Ashes over a sexting scandal. Having taken over as captain in the aftermath of the 2018 ball-tampering incident, which saw Steve Smith stripped of the job, Paine led Australia in 23 Tests.

However, he quit in November 2021 after it was revealed he had sent explicit texts to a Cricket Tasmania employee. Although Paine said he was "exonerated" by Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania, he resigned after learning the texts were set to be revealed publicly.

He never played for Australia again and was left off Tasmania's contract list in 2022. Despite this, he did play seven more first-class games for Tasmania this season before deciding to retire.

And while he did not publicly announce his decision, Paine was given a guard of honour as he left the field for the final time and Tasmania captain Jordan Silk broke the news of his retirement after the match.

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Paying tribute to the wicketkeeper, he claimed there has "never been as good a keeper as Tim Paine in Australia". Silk said: "He has been a phenomenal player, it is an incredible effort to have the longevity that he has had.

Paine was given a guard of honour as he left the field for the final time (Steve Bell/Getty Images)

"I'm sure a lot of guys will say there has never been as good a keeper as Tim Paine in Australia. Considering his age, the standard of keeping he has been able to maintain has been really incredible.

"He sets a great example with his work ethic for all our guys. We have been incredibly blessed down here and we wish him all the best in whatever he chooses going forward."

Paine played 35 Test matches, 35 ODIs and 12 T20Is for Australia and scored his solitary international hundred in an ODI clash against England at Trent Bridge in 2009.

Matthew Cooper