MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Former Australia test captain Tim Paine ended his cricket career on Friday after Tasmania’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland ended in a draw at the Bellerive Oval.

Wicketkeeper Paine played 35 tests for Australia, including 23 as skipper after Steve Smith was stripped of the role following a ball-tampering scandal during the team’s 2018 tour of South Africa.

Paine quit the test captaincy in November 2021 following revelations that he was investigated in 2018 for sending lewd text messages to a female former receptionist at state governing body Cricket Tasmania.

He subsequently withdrew from the game and took a mental health break for nearly a year before returning to play domestic cricket.

The 38-year-old, who also played 35 One-Day Internationals, was given a guard of honour as he left Bellerive Oval and Tasmania captain Jordan Silk confirmed Paine had ended his first-class career.

“He’s been a phenomenal player,” Silk said.

“It’s an incredible effort to have the longevity that he’s had. He’s certainly going to be missed behind the stumps.

“I’m sure a lot of guys who are playing now will say that there will never be another keeper as good as Tim Paine in Australia. So we’ve been incredibly blessed down here.”

(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Tom Hogue)