Corey Anderson announces New Zealand retirement; signs up with USA’s Major League Cricket

12/05/2020

Corey Anderson, a part of the New Zealand squad that reached the 2015 World Cup final, has officially announced his New Zealand retirement and has signed a three-year contract with USA’s Major League Cricket T20. The move could see Anderson represent the US National team in the future.

All-rounder Corey Anderson has become the latest superstar to shift base to the United States and tie up with the country’s future project, the Major League Cricket T20 competition. Anderson, 29, has officially announced h0is New Zealand retirement and will now move to the US and pursue a career in the states, where, aside from playing in the Major League Cricket T20 competition, he will also be able to represent the US National Team in ODI cricket once he becomes eligible to do so.

"It's been a huge honor and extremely proud to represent New Zealand. I would have loved to have achieved and played more but just is what it is sometimes, and different opportunities arise and send you in a direction you never thought would be a possibility. Very appreciative for everything that NZC has done for me,” Cricbuzz quoted Anderson as saying.

Anderson, who once held the record for the fastest ODI ton in history, was a victim of injuries and, as a result, saw himself fall out of favour rapidly with the New Zealand national team, despite being a core member of the squad that reached the World Cup Final in 2015. His last Test, ODI and T20I appearances for the country came back in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively, with him only being 26 years old at the time of his last international appearance.

However, despite announcing New Zealand retirement, the 29-year-old could very well play international cricket again in the years to come, with the USA National Team now having ODI status. That would require the all-rounder to first become eligible, and a report from ESPNCricinfo’s Peter Della Penna earlier this week claimed that players could see themselves go “on a three-year residency path to switch allegiances and represent USA internationally.”

By Anderson’s words, the switch became easier because of fiance Mary Margaret, who he revealed was born and raised in America.

"It hasn't been an easy decision. I asked myself several questions. What do I want to do now or what do I want to achieve in the next two years, five years, 10 years? As you get older you think about life a little bit more broadly as well.

“And obviously, my fiance, Mary Margaret, who's born and raised in America, she's had a massive part to play in that because she's sacrificed so much for me, by moving to New Zealand, getting immersed in a different culture there and, and supporting me through a lot of tough times with injuries and time out of cricket.

“So, when the opportunity arose, we thought that living in America is the best thing, not only for my cricket, but it's, it's the best thing for both of us in general as well," Anderson added.

Anderson is one of MLC’s three latest recruits, having already roped in Pakistan’s Sami Aslam and South Africa’s Dane Piedt.