Langer retirement rumours grow

There is much speculation that the final Ashes Test match at the SCG will be Justin Langer’s last match for Australia.

With no Test cricket on the horizon for 11 months, Langer, 36, is widely tipped to follow his team-mates Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Damien Martyn into retirement.

The father of the 104 match veteran, Colin Langer, gave the clearest indicated yet that his son would farwell cricket in Sydney.

“He’s not going to hang on for the sake of hanging on,” he told The Sunday Age

“He’s been privileged to play for his country for 104 Test matches.”

Colin Langer spoke of how proud he has been of his son throughout his 14 year career.

“The way he’s gone about his career has been a thrill for his family. When he and Adam Gilchrist won that Test against Pakistan in Hobart, that gave me a thrill. But the biggest highlight for me has been the way he’s gone about his business as a cricketer.

“To see the effort that’s had to be put in, the effort no one really sees. To see what he’s done to try to get fit for this series, it’s just been unbelievable, the physical effort, the time he spends with his batting coach. People don’t see all that, but we do.”

Many thought that Langer would call it quits after last years tour of South Africa when, in his hundredth match, he was hit on the head by a Makhaya Ntini bouncer that sent him to hospital with a severe concussion. But to his credit he was able to make a full recovery and has been an integral member of the Australian side that successfully regained the Ashes this year.