Ferguson pulls up stumps on first-class career

Callum Ferguson will play his final first-class match for South Australia next week after the state announced the one-Test batsman had called time on his 16-year first-class career.

New Redbacks coach Jason Gillespie and selection chair James Pyke announced Thursday that Ferguson would be in the XI to take on Queensland in their next Marsh Sheffield Shield fixture from Sunday, which will be his swansong in the red cap.

Overlooked for South Australia's Shield season opener against Western Australia, the 35-year-old was recalled for their two subsequent games but made a pair in their draw with Victoria that concluded this week.

Ferguson's 8,210 Shield are the most of any active player leading into this season, while he needs 60 runs to pass Les Favell and move into fourth position on South Australia's all-time run-scorers list.

Ferguson's international career was tinged with misfortune.

His crowning achievement was receiving Test cap No.445 when he debuted against South Africa in Hobart in 2016.

But Australia's defeat, their fifth consecutive Test loss, prompted wholesale changes to the XI which saw him cruelly stood down after just the solitary game, which proved his final international appearance.

Seven years earlier he had suffered a serious knee injury in the 2009 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand at Centurion to sour Australia's victory in the now defunct tournament.

The right-hander had to that point forged a successful career in green and gold but played just five more limited-overs games for Australia after returning from the injury, finishing with an ODI average of 41.43.

Ferguson played in South Australia's 2012 domestic one-day title as well as their 2017 Shield final defeat to Victoria. He also played two seasons in the Indian Premier League with the Pune Warriors and has had successful stints with English county Worcestershire.

The veteran batsman said today he remains keen to continue playing one-day cricket for South Australia and captaining Sydney Thunder in the KFC Big Bash.

More to come.