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Kasprowicz announces retirement
Source: PTI
February 07, 2008 13:19 IST

Veteran Australian seamer Michael Kasprowicz, who played significant part in the world champions' 2004 Test series triumph in India, on Thursday retired from all forms of cricket.

According to a report in The Courier Mail, the Queenslander, who turns 36 on Sunday, will play his final match, a domestic one-day tie against Western Australia, on Saturday.

"Kasprowicz feels its time to go and give the state's younger pacemen a chance to finish out the season and he'll enjoy the chance to farewell fans at the Gabba," the report said.

The fast bowler earned the reputation of being a sub-continental specialist after a series of fine performances in Sri Lanka and India.

He was one of the top performers in Australia's 2-1 Test series triumph in India in 2004, their first in 35 years. The seamer took a five-wicket haul in the first Test in Bangalore.

In fact 2004 was one of the highlights of Kasprowicz's roller-coaster career as he took 47 wickets in the season and got selected in the team ahead of Brett Lee, who was sidelined as the 12th man for some time.

However, he lost his central contract last year due to a series of injury breakdowns.

He played 38 Tests for Australia and took 113 wickets at an average of 32.88.

The last time he played for Australia in a Test was in 2006 against South Africa when Glenn McGrath had opted out of the team to be with his ailing wife.

Kasprowicz played 43 one-dayers and took 67 wickets at an average of 24.98. But injuries hampered his progress, with back and groin problems limiting him to just nine balls last year.

Calf injuries and a hamstring strain hampered his participation in the domestic circuit as well.

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