New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling to retire after UK tour

New Zealand Cricket NZC on Tuesday announced that wicketkeeperbatsman BJ Watling will be retiring from international cricket after the tour of EnglandThe 35yearold has been a stalwart of the Test side since debuting in 2009 as an opening batsman going on to establish himself as a worldclass keeperbatsman and claiming numerous records in his 73 Tests to dateWith the BlackCaps contracts for the 202122 season due to be released on Friday in which Watling will not be included due to his future unavailability his retirement news was expeditedThe Northern Districts gloveman had been pondering his options for a while but settled on his decision to retire at the end of the justcompleted home summerIts the right time said Watling who has recently become a father for the second timeIts been a huge honour to represent New Zealand and in particular wear the Test baggy Test cricket really is the pinnacle of the game and Ive loved every minute of being out there in the whites with the boys Sitting in the changing rooms having a beer with the team after five days toil is what Ill miss the most Ive played with some great players and made many good mates Ive also had plenty of help along the way for which Ill always be grateful he addedTalking about Tests against England and the WTC final against India Watling said Although Ive had to make this announcement ahead of the tour to England my focus is very much on the three Tests ahead and preparing to perform in themThis tour will be a challenge on a few levels and we know as a team we will need to be at the very top of our game if we want to succeed he addedWatling holds the New Zealand Test dismissals record with 249 catches excluding 10 as a fielder and eight stumpings the best numbers of any current Test keepersHis bowlerkeeper catching combinations with Tim Southee 73 Trent Boult 55 and Neil Wagner 53 occupy the top three spots on the New Zealand record listWatlings batting statistics are equally eyecatching with eight Test centuries to his name and New Zealand records for the fourth and fifthhighest partnerships 362 with Brendon McCullum against India at the Basin Reserve in 2014 and 365 with current captain Kane Williamson against Sri Lanka at the same ground a year laterHe is just the ninth Test keeper to score a double hundred and was the first to do so against England when his Player of the Match performance helped win a dramatic Test against England at Bay Oval in November 2019 He also featured in another New Zealand recordpartnership in that match as he and Mitchell Santner put on 261 for the seventh wicketNew Zealand coach Gary Stead paid homage to his sides Mr Dependable behind the stumpsBJ is a wonderful player and a great bloke He works really hard on his game to get improvements and always puts the team first You just have to look at the respect hes held in by his teammates and the opposition to appreciate his standing in the game said SteadThe records speak for themselves and hes been such a crucial cog in the Test teams rise over the past decade That double hundred he scored at the Mount in 2019 was one of the best innings Ive ever seen and epitomised BJ Watling as a player really he addedIf Watling plays all three Tests on the upcoming tour two against England June 26 and 1014 and the ICC World Test Championship Final against India on June 1822 he will surpass Adam Parores record of most Tests as a New Zealand keeper at 67Watling played his entire domestic career for Northern Districts featuring in 91 FirstClass matches 62 T20 games and 90 List A fixtures for the Major AssociationThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever