http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Brad-Hodge-c1184 turns his focus towards Twenty20 retires from One-Day – Cricket News Update
Australian cricketer Brad Hodge has turned his focus towards Twenty 20 cricket. The right-handed batsman announced his retirement from international cricket this Monday, January 23, and later revealed that he will not be participating
in the domestic One Day competition, the ‘Ryobi Cup’.
Hodge who plays for the Melbourne based ‘Victoria Bushrangers’, has called it a day in order to give youngsters a chance.
The 37-year-old said, “I think it's just time to step aside and let some other guys come through. I'm obviously delighted to have played this long. I guess like anyone in the world, once you've done something for so long it's hard
to let go. There's a lot of good talent that's there.”
Hodge has been playing for Victoria for over two decades. He was happy with his decisions, expressing that his career was fulfilling, and is hoping that the youngsters will follow in his footsteps.
“I've done my job, I've presented a good case for players to watch and to learn how to do it and it's been fun along the way. I don't feel as if this is retirement because retirement for me was when I retired from four-day(first-class)
cricket. This is more like a changing of the guard,” said Hodgey.
Hodge recently played in the 2011/12 season of the Big Bash Twenty20 League, representing the Melbourne Renegades. The Melbourne side failed to produce an impressing showing in the competition, despite the best efforts of Hodge.
The batsman top scored for his side, making 190 runs in five games, at an average of 47.50.
Hodge is regarded as one of the most consistent batsmen in Australian domestic competition. The right-handed basher has made 17084 first-class runs while in List-A format his tally stands at 9127.
Hodge reached the zenith of his career in the 2010-11 season of the Ryobi Cup, when he helped his side lift the trophy and finished the tournament as the highest run getter, scoring 560 runs at an average of 62.22.
Victoria has lost a consistent, and prolific batsman in Hodge, and the recently retired player will be duly missed in this seasons Ryobi Cup, which begins from Saturday, February 4.
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