Bollinger retires after champagne career

Former Test quick Doug Bollinger has announced his retirement from all forms of the game.

Bollinger, who played 12 Tests for Australia between 2009 and 2010, says farewell at the age of 36 after a 15-year career.

Image Id: 9ABB2E3C1A6F43FFB3713BBEF6085159 Image Caption: Bollinger took 121 wickets at international level // Getty

The left-armer, who first played for NSW in the summer of 2002-03, praised the Blues for persisting with him early in his career.

"I was pretty raw and they gave me a really good chance at cricket,” Bollinger said. "My first captain for NSW was Steve Waugh, which was unbelievable.

"I played under some great captains and players for NSW and Australia including Steve, Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting.

"To play for 15 or 16 seasons with the SCG as my home ground has been amazing.

Image Id: 87DD72B6109F400B81160843E6AFE2DB Image Caption: Bollinger and former NSW captain Michael Clarke // Getty

"It’s been a great ride. I met so many wonderful people and achieved the ultimate ambition of playing Test cricket for Australia.

"A special thank you to all the great people at Cricket NSW who helped me on my journey.

"Now it’s time for the next stage of my life with my wife Tegan and my children Skye and Liam. I couldn’t have achieved everything I have without them."

Image Id: D12CE723C2624E068CC65F0B62FEC110 Image Caption: Bollinger took 50 Test wickets for Australia at an average of 25.92 // Getty

Bollinger has been used sparingly by the Blues this season and has played three one-day games and three in the JLT Sheffield Shield as well as two games for Sydney Sixers in the KFC BBL.

He made his Test debut at his home ground against South Africa in 2009 and took 50 wickets in his 12 Tests at the impressive average of 25.92.

He enjoyed a particularly fruitful 2009-10 summer, taking match hauls of eight, seven and six at home and on tour in New Zealand, finishing that season with 37 wickets in just seven Tests.

It was good enough to earn selection in the ICC's Test Team of the Year in 2010 and he was also named in the best ODI team that year. He finished his ODI career with 62 wickets at 23.90.

But he was dropped from the Test side the following summer, his final match in Baggy Green coming in the Adelaide Test of the 2010-11 Ashes campaign.

He returned to domestic cricket and finishes his career as NSW's ninth highest wicket-taker, his tally of 290 the third most by a fast bowler behind Geoff Lawson and Mike Whitney.

Image Id: EF36393F5E8045B19583E5C6DC5A2771 Image Caption: Bollinger celebrates a wicket for the Sixers in the BBL // Getty

"Doug was a larger than life presence on and off the field,” said Cricket NSW CEO Andrew Jones.

"Whether it was charging in full throttle for another delivery, celebrating a wicket with unrestrained joy or being the personality of the dressing rooms, he was always imposing himself on the game.

"Finishing his career as ninth on the list of NSW first class wicket takers and playing all three forms of the game for Australia is a remarkable achievement given he did not play cricket until he was 15."

Nine of the 404 wickets Bollinger took for the Blues came via hat-tricks, two in the Sheffield Shield and one in the one-day cup.

Having taken a hat-trick in a one-day game against South Australia in 2004, the left-armer became the first man to take two in the Shield competition, against Western Australia in 2007-08 and Victoria in 2015.

His teammate Mitchell Starc joined him with two Shield hat-tricks this summer when the Test quick took two in the same match against WA in Sydney.

DOUG BOLLINGER - By The Numbers

Tests
M: 12 | Wkts: 50 | Ave: 25.92 | BBI: 5-28 | SR: 48.0 | 5wi: 2

ODIs
M: 39 | Wkts: 62 | Ave: 23.90 | BBI: 5-35 | SR: 31.3 | 5wi: 2

T20Is
M: 9 | Wkts: 9 | Ave: 27.66 | BBI: 1-22 | SR: 23.3 | 5wi: 0

First-class
M: 124 | Wkts: 411 | Ave: 28.06 | BBI: 6-47 | SR: 53.2 | 5wi: 16

List A
M: 134 | Wkts: 203 | Ave: 27.12 | BBI: 5-35 | SR: 33.7 | 5wi: 3

T20s
M: 129 | Wkts: 139 | Ave: 25.47 | BBI: 4-13 | SR: 19.5 | 5wi: 0