Shaun Marsh retires from first-class and List A cricket

Western Australia legend Shaun Marsh has officially called time on his first-class and List A career four months shy of his 40th birthday, bringing to an end a state career that spanned 23 years. 

Marsh, who last year captained Western Australia to their first Sheffield Shield title this century, ends his career as the all-time, all-formats leading run-scorer for Western Australia. He bows out with 12,032 first-class runs to his name to go along with 32 red-ball tons. In List A cricket, he amassed 7,158 runs at an average of 44.45. 

Last season, Marsh contemplated retirement post WA’s double-triumph, winning both the Shield and the Marsh Cup, but signed a one-year extension with the club upon discussions with head coach Adam Voges.

However, the last season of his career proved to be injury prone. Recovery from off-season knee surgery meant a late start to the season but a calf strain ensured that the delay got extended, preventing him from playing any cricket till January. He made his comeback in January representing the Renegades and made an impressive start, smashing 32, 52 and 84* in 3 of his first 4 knocks but was set back further by a hamstring strain.

It was only in February that he made his first Shield appearance of the season, against South Australia, but that first appearance unfortunately turned out to be the last as a finger fracture ruled him out of the rest of the season.

With his 40th birthday just around the corner, the veteran, who was voted Men's Domestic Player of the Year at the Australian Cricket Awards for 2019-20 and 2020-21, decided to call time on his state career earlier today.

Marsh’s incredibly successful state career enabled him to make 126 international appearances for Australia in total, although he never truly did justice to his potential at the highest level.