'Can't write that script': Champion Siddle bows out on top

Champion fast bowler Peter Siddle has assured Victoria he is done with Sheffield Shield cricket despite the state's best efforts to convince him to play on next season.

At 40 years of age, Siddle was at the peak of his red-ball powers until the very end as he took the last Western Australia wicket deep into the final session of the final game of the season to seal a memorable 34-run win for the Vics.

The right-armer had flagged at the start of the summer that 2024-25 would be his last, with the two-year contract he signed in 2023 to return home from Tasmania set to expire at season's end.

But such has been his form across all formats this season, which included a maiden five-wicket haul in one-day cricket and clocking speeds upwards of 148kph in the Big Bash, that captain Will Sutherland and Victorian coach and former teammate, Chris Rogers, revealed they tried to "twist his arm" to play on into a 21st summer.

While Siddle will continue playing for the Melbourne Stars in KFC BBL|15 after signing a one-year extension, he was given a guard of honour by both teams as he left the WACA Ground on Tuesday evening.

The veteran of 67 Tests for Australia and 90 Shield appearances for Victoria and Tasmania helped end WA's hopes of a four-peat with 4-68 in the second innings.

The haul took him to 792 first-class wickets, the most by an Australia fast bowler since Michael Kasprowicz retired with 959 in 2008, and his tally of 332 scalps puts him in the top 15 of all-time in the Sheffield Shield.

Siddle, who debuted for Victoria in 2005 and passed 1000 wickets across the three professional formats last year, finished with 24 wickets at 19.62 from five games in his final Shield season.

"I feel like trying to re-sign him but he assures us he's done," Rogers said following Victoria's season-ending victory in Perth.

"What a career. In our quick chat (after the game), Marcus Harris said he's a great of Australian cricket and he actually is.

"There's not too many of them going around.

"To be involved in his last game is something pretty special and to see him get some runs this morning, get the first wicket in his first over and then get the last wicket, I don't think you can write that script, so I'm really happy for him."

Siddle has filled a player-mentor role for Victoria's young fast bowlers during his last two seasons in state cricket and could yet transition straight into coaching, with the Victorian men's bowling coach position currently vacant following Adam Griffith's appointment as Cricket Australia's national pace bowling coach in January.

Siddle confirmed his interest in coaching during the season, and while he said he still loves when he's got the ball in his hand and could continue to bowl for "a long time yet", the hours spent out in the field were "well and truly over".

Sutherland said Siddle – a two-time Sheffield Shield winner – had given an enormous amount to the game and the Victorian group across an "incredible career".

"I'm still trying to convince him to go around again next season but it was a bit of a fairytale finish for him, so happy for him," he said.

"He's given so much to Victorian cricket, and even just how he's looked after his body, to still be moving and bowling so well is incredible.

"He's going to keep playing Big Bash, but it's been a privilege for me to play the start of my career with him."

Siddle's efforts in the final round, which also included 3-10 in the first innings, saw Victoria fall just 0.27 points short of a place in the Sheffield Shield final after Queensland secured enough batting bonus points in their draw with ladder-leaders South Australia to hold onto second spot.

Sheffield Shield standings 2024-25

Team	Matches played M	Wins W	Losses L	Drawn D	No results N/R	Deductions Ded.	Batting Bonus Bat	Bowling Bonus Bowl	Total points PTS
1 South Australia Men SA	10	6	1	3	0	0	7.61	9	55.61
2 Queensland Bulls QLD	10	3	3	4	0	0	9.06	8.7	39.76
3 Victoria Men VIC	10	4	5	1	0	0	5.19	9.3	39.49
4 NSW Men NSW	10	3	4	3	0	0	6.99	8.4	36.39
5 Tasmanian Tigers Men TAS	10	3	5	2	0	0	7.72	8.2	35.92
6 Western Australia Men WA	10	3	4	3	0	0	5.83	8.6	35.43

Legend

M: Matches played

W: Wins

L: Losses

D: Drawn

N/R: No results

Ded.: Deductions

Bat: Batting Bonus

Bowl: Bowling Bonus

PTS: Total points