On Thursday, New Zealand opening batsman Michael Papps has announced his retirement from all professional cricket formats. The 38-year-old cricketer played 8 Tests and 6 ODIs for New Zealand cricket team.
The wicketkeeper-batsman had made his international debut in 2004 through the ODI. Playing only 8 Tests and 6 ODIs, Papps scored 246 runs (average 16.40) and 207 runs (average 51.75) in respective formats. He has scored 2 half-centuries in both formats each while his ODI highest score was 92* against South Africa at Napier on March 2, 2004. It was the only time for him in international cricket when he had won the Player of the Match award.
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In February 2005 against Australia, Papps had retired-hurt after Brett Lee’s one bouncer hit on his head. Later, he was taken to the hospital but that was nothing dangerous. It was his last ODI.
His best Test knock was 86 against England at Leeds in June 2004. His last international match was a Test match in November 2007 against South Africa at Centurion.
Papps played 188 first-class matches, 166 List A matches and 87 T20 matches where he scored 12,294 runs (average 38.66; 33 centuries and 52 half-centuries), 5,810 runs (average 37.97; 12 centuries and 32 half-centuries) and 1,767 runs (average 22.94; 9 half-centuries) respectively.
Playing for Wellington, the right-handed batsman hit a brilliant triple century in the first-class cricket against Auckland in last October as he was unbeaten for 316 runs, his highest first-class knock. With that knock, Michael Papps becomes the oldest batsman (since World War II) to hit a triple-century in the first-class cricket as his age was at that time 38 years, 3 months and 22 days.
Talking about his retirement decision, Papps spoke out, “The personal and collective triumphs, the runs scored, the days in the dirt, and the games won and lost are all memories I will take away, but most of all it will be the people, the teams I’ve played for, both here and overseas, and the great friends I have made that I will cherish the most.
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Papps also thanked his domestic teams Canterbury and Wellington for supporting him.
Papps said on that, “I would like to thank the Canterbury Cricket Association for teaching me the game and giving me the best grounding a young cricketer could possibly receive and to Cricket Wellington for enabling me to expand my horizons and providing me with a new challenge.”
On Papps’ retirement from professional cricket, Cricket Wellington chief executive Cam Mitchell said, “Michael has made an immense impact on this game and we are very proud to have had him as member of our team and representative of Wellington. He has captained the Firebirds, played match-winning and match-saving innings, and made history with that outstanding 300. I’m sure cricket fans around the country will join me in thanking him for the memorable moments he has been a part of through his career.”
