Thaindian News

Melbourne, Feb 20(ANI): Australian fast bowler Dirk Nannes, a highly valued member of the Indian Premier League’s Delhi Daredevils side, has elected to put his IPL responsibilities ahead of the Sheffield Shield tournament.

With this year’s Sheffield Shield overlapping the start of the IPL, Nannes has decided to retire from first-class cricket to focus on limited-overs matches.

The left-arm fast bowler said he realized the risk of missing even one season of the IPL through injury would have significant financial implications for his family, including two children under five.

“You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t think that. I’m in a very fortunate position where I’m good at a form of the game that’s quite lucrative … and you also think about what’s a good business decision,” The Age quoted Nannes, as saying.

“In cricket your business is staying on the park, playing cricket and doing what’s best for you and your family. If you didn’t think about that you’re stupid, really. I’m not saying that’s the only basis of my decision, but it’s certainly one of the reasons,” he added.

The 33-year-old, however, said his prime motivation for giving up four-day cricket was the belief his body could not handle the demands of it.

‘I’m sure there will be people who will kick me for not wanting to keep going and win a Sheffield Shield final, but at the end of the day you have got to look at it with a reasonable grasp of what’s going on,” Nannes said.

“It’s just seemed in the last couple of years that the only time I ever get injured is in four-day games, and when you get injured as I did in the first four-day game of the year you just start scratching your head and think ‘What am I doing?’,” he added.

Nannes will continue to play Twenty20 and one-day cricket for the Bushrangers next season. (ANI)