Shaun Tait set to make a comeback, aims to play for Australia again

Shaun Tait

Australian speedster Shaun Tait is about to come out of retirement to play for South Australia in the Matador BBQ's One-Day Cup in October. The pacer retired from the 50-over format after Australia were knocked out of the 2011 World Cup by the eventual champions India. The 31-year-old has been concentrating on the T20 format of the game since and has been part of various teams around the world.

Tait arrived at the decision on his comeback after he realised that a title run with his state will complete his check list as a cricketer. The bowler was part of Australia’s successful World Cup campaign in the West Indies in 2007.

"I was playing T20 cricket and I thought in a couple of years if I'm retired, would I regret anything? The only thing I could think of was not having some success with South Australia,” Tait told the Advertiser.

"It's been a while since I've been really determined to do something in cricket and this is one of them. I'm determined to play for South Australia and be successful, because I think the state needs it as well," the limited-overs specialist, who played the last of three Tests in 2008, added.

World Cup hopes alive

Tait has played 35 ODIs for Australia and has 63 wickets to his name including 23 in the 2007 WC. The right-arm seamer did not rule out the chances of playing for Australia in the next edition of the tournament if the team needs him.

"I suppose if everything is going well, if my body is going well and I'm bowling 155kph and taking wickets, why not? But it might not go that way," he said.

Despite the country having a talented bunch of fast bowling talents to choose from, the Aussie who recently married an Indian model, said that he will not shy away from the opportunity of wearing the national colours again when the need arises.

"Cricket Australia have got their group of players who are pretty good at the moment, the attack against Zimbabwe on Monday night was very good, Johnson, Starc, Richardson and there's probably five other blokes in the wings.

"So they might go down a completely different path even if I am doing well. But if everything was going well, and they came to me and said 'We've got a couple of injuries, come and play' -- brilliant, I'd love to," the bowler concluded.

The bowler was last seen in action at Lord’s, playing for Marylebone Cricket Club against Rest of the World in MCC’s bicentenary match.