Jason Behrendorff, a left-arm fast bowler, has announced his retirement from state cricket after a stellar 16 years with WA. However, while he has put an end to his state cricket career, he is determined to continue with T20 cricket, where he has built quite a reputation and has enjoyed considerable success. He has signed on for three years with Melbourne Renegades for the forthcoming seasons, starting yet another adventure with the bat and ball.
Retirement from State Cricket
Behrendorff’s exit from state cricket therefore marks the end of a distinguished era with WA. After joining the state team as a teenager, Behrendorff promptly became a linchpin of the WA bowling attack.
He had great success throughout domestic and national cricket and made many contributions to his team’s victories in shaping WA’s bowling unit across a series of formats.
But after spending 16 years with the side and being a part of WA’s success in a couple of one-day titles, he finally appears to have decided to hang his boots and pursue other options in cricket.
“This is the end of one chapter, and what a fun one it has been,” Behrendorff wrote in announcing his retirement. “I have had so much fun. I have been able to live out my childhood dream of playing state cricket, to then have played cricket for Australia as well. The WACA ground has been my home for so long now.”
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Behrendorff’s Contributions to Western Australia
Behrendorff’s first-class career in Western Australia was considerably successful. He won five One-Day Cup titles with the Western Australian team and took 75 wickets in List A cricket, which puts him at number five on WA’s all-time wicket-takers list. Furthermore, he had a thriving career in first-class cricket, with 126 wickets at an average of 23.85 from 31 games.
While several intruding back injuries limited his red-ball opportunities after the 2017–18 season, Behrendorff gave probably one of the most significant performances in WA’s history, absolutely decimating the Victoria batting line-up in 2017, taking 9 for 37, the second-best figures by a WA bowler in the competition.
Founding Test cricketer Behrendorff’s early promise was hobbled by injuries. At 6 foot 4 inches tall, his awkward bounce and prodigious swing made him an attractive option as a fast bowler, and he often was viewed as a presentation replacement for Mitchell Johnson in the Australian Test side as a result. Despite his great talent, however, he never finished red-ball cricket.
International Career Highlights
Behrendorff had a relatively short but impactful international career, featuring prominently for Australia in the shorter formats. He played 17 T20Is, with his most recent appearance being against the West Indies in Perth in 2024.
He also appeared in 12 ODIs from 2019 to 2022, where his pace and precision were key assets for Australia in limited-overs cricket. One of his career-defining moments came during the 2019 World Cup when he took a brilliant five-wicket haul against England at Lord’s, which helped Australia secure a memorable 64-run victory.
Although Behrendorff remained at the fringes of the Australian team regarding the shorter formats, his skill set and talent to perform under pressure established quite a name for himself. His BBL performances and the few glimmers of excellence in international cricket vouch for her legacy as a handy fast bowler for Australia.
Behrendorff’s Transition to T20 Franchise Cricket
Although stating farewell to playing state cricket, Behrendorff’s path will continue down T20 cricket as he has recently entered a three-year deal with Melbourne Renegades in the BBL. He moves to the Renegades after an unbelievably fruitful spell with Perth Scorchers, where he has capped the team to four BBL titles in 13 years and finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2024 season.
Behrendorff has also had his turn at success in various T20 leagues across the globe. He played in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians, where he sparkled with his performances, including an outstanding season in 2023, wherein he claimed 14 wickets.
However, it was soon to be ruined when the unfortunate leg injury rendered him out last minute of the tournament when he was batting in the nets just prior to the tournament kick-off.
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Behrendorff was also in the SA20 competition in South Africa with Pretoria Capitals and took two wickets in three matches.
Family Life
Behrendorff, while still involved with T20 competitions, wanted to spend more time with his family as it heavily influenced his decision to retire from state cricket. After years of juggling international commitments and franchise leagues, he looked forward to spending quality time with his wife, Juvelle, and his children. He disclosed that being able to attend school drop-offs and pickups was one of the significant factors driving his departure from state cricket.
“It played a huge part in my decision to retire,” Behrendorff expressed. “I know that I’m away with international commitments, franchise leagues, and the like, but I want to be home and present for my kids. In particular, things like school pick-up and drop-off. To be able to do those things I don’t always get to do, more quality time with my wife, Juvelle … to be able to immerse myself more in family life.”
Jason Behrendorff retires from state cricket, thus effectively marking the end of an era for Western Australia while he leaves behind tremendous accomplishments and spectacular displays.
Even though this signals the end of his state-level strode career, Behrendorff’s passion for the sport is clearly validated by his continual commitment towards T20 franchise cricket. Beginning this fresh new stage with Melbourne Renegades, Behrendorff wouldn’t just entertain cricket audiences but also try to achieve an optimum work-life balance.
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