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Speculation is mounting that veteran opening batsman Justin Langer will join Australian teammates Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and announce his retirement from Test cricket, reports said on Sunday.

Langer is lining up for his 105th Test match in Tuesday’s final Ashes clash with England, and there is a growing sense that he will announce his retirement after the Test instead of before to avoid the fanfare.

The diminutive 36-year-old left-hander forms part of Australia’s most prolific opening partnership with Matthew Hayden, who last week said he was not yet ready to quit cricket.

Langer and Hayden have combined for 5,574 runs at an average of 51.61.

Australian coach John Buchanan said only Langer, who has kept out of the limelight since Australia’s innings victory over England in the Boxing Day Test, knew whether he would quit.

Bowlers Warne and McGrath have announced the Sydney Test will be their last, but the media is anticipating that Langer and Hayden also will be combining for the last time.

Only the West Indian duo of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes have made more runs (6,482) than Langer and Hayden, but they played together for 13 years while the Australian duo joined forces only in 2001.
Source:The News