Langer to quit internationals

1 January 2007

Justin Langer © Getty Images

Australian opener Justin Langer has announced he is to retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.

Somerset have also announced he will rejoin them as their captain for the 2007 season after Langer signed a new contract with the Taunton club.

The 36-year-old became the third Australian to reveal he would quit the international game at the conclusion of the Ashes along with Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath while Damien Martyn made a sudden exit after the second Test.

Langer made his Test debut against the West Indies in January 1993 and has to date scored 7650 runs at an average of 45.26 and his opening partnership with Matthew Hayden was second only to West Indies pair Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge.

The Western Australian announced his decision to retire at a news conference on Monday at the Sydney Cricket Ground ahead of the fifth Test and admitted it had been a difficult one.

Langer said: "There hasn't been a waking moment for the last 20 years where I haven't thought about playing Test cricket and wearing the baggy green cap, so this is a tough moment.

"There hasn't been a moment when Test cricket hasn't been on my mind."

Langer in action for Somerset last season © Getty Images

Langer’s highest score in the current Ashes series is an unbeaten century in the first Test as Australia won by 277 runs and he was Australia's leading scorer as England wrested the Ashes back in 2005.

Moreover, his highest Test score of 250 was achieved against the same opponents at the MCG in 1998.

Although he has played in 104 Test matches, the 2001 Wisden Cricketer of the Year has made only eight appearances in one-day internationals.

Langer will continue to play for Western Australia as well as returning to Somerset for the English summer.

He had a highly successful - if short - stint at Taunton in the middle of last summer and will be the county’s second overseas player, joining compatriot Cameron White, who led the county for much of 2006.

The left-handed opening batsman made a career-best 342 in the county championship, against Surrey at Guildford, as well as more than 400 Twenty20 runs in his mid-summer cameo last year.

Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose said: “I was delighted to agree a provisional contract with Justin at the end of his highly successful five-week spell with the club in 2006, which he has now confirmed.

"We are absolutely delighted that Justin is coming back to join us as captain for the whole season, initially on a one-year contract with a provision that he may come back again for a further year in 2008."

Rose is hoping Langer’s influence can help Somerset regain top-flight status in the championship.

“Over the last four seasons, Somerset have lacked consistent leadership - and this is what we expect Justin to bring, especially after his vast experience in Test match cricket and as captain of Western Australia,” he added.

“His presence and influence on the side will boost our experienced players as well as helping us develop the younger players we have on the staff."