Matthew Wade has retired from the Big Bash League, ending a nine-season career with the Hobart Hurricanes.
Wade played 90 matches for Hobart, the second-most in club history, scoring 2,446 runs at an average of 32.18 and a strike rate of 146.73.
He is one of only three players to pass 2,000 runs for the Hurricanes and his 130 not out is still the club’s highest individual score.
Wade joined Hobart ahead of BBL07 after playing the first six seasons with the Melbourne Stars and Renegades.
He mostly batted at the top of the order and shared the two biggest partnerships in club history with D’Arcy Short.
He was also in the Hurricanes side that won BBL14, the club’s first title.
Cricket Tasmania high performance boss Salliann Beams said Wade’s value went beyond his stats.
“Matthew has been an incredibly important figure for the Hurricanes and Tasmanian cricket over a long period of time,” Beams said.
“His record speaks for itself, but what doesn’t always show up in the numbers is the influence he has had on the players and people around him.”
Hurricanes coach Jeff Vaughan said Wade could turn a game and had passed plenty on to younger players.
“‘Wadey’ is one of those cricketers you always wanted on your side,” Vaughan said.
“He competed incredibly hard every time he walked onto the field and had the ability to change a game very quickly, but equally important has been what he has passed on to the players around him.”
“He has a fantastic cricket brain and has always been willing to share his knowledge and challenge those around him to get better.”
Wade retired from international cricket in 2024 after 225 appearances for Australia across all formats.
He has since moved into coaching, including a stint with IPL side Gujarat Titans and roles in Australia’s set-up and will keep working in that space.
