Odd lung condition forces John Hastings into retirement

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https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/105096/john-hastings-retires-from-cricket-after-odd-lung-condition-australia-cricket-big-bash-2018-19

 

Australian pacer John Hastings has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket due to an odd lung condition. The 33-year old had already retired from one-dayers and Tests last October but continued to play T20s, and even captained Melbourne Stars in last year's Big Bash League.

 

 

He had continued to play despite being detected of a mystery ailment last summer. And it reared up again while playing for his club Frankston-Peninsula as a preparation for the upcoming season of BBL. Last month he had announced that he will be on an indefinite break from cricket.

 

 

"I've gone through an extensive testing process," Hastings told The Age. "I suppose the important thing to note is that I'm actually in good health. I've gone through stress tests and bronchoscopes, and angiogram bronchoscopes and all this sort of stuff. It's been quite invasive, and lengthy I guess.

 

 

"It's [only] when I bowl. The pressure at the crease, little blood vessels in my lungs burst. That determines that I cough up blood on a regular basis when I'm trying to bowl. It's a really scary thing.

 

 

"I'm training now, doing F45, lifting weights or boxing it doesn't happen. It's really only the pressure of the actual landing of bowling. There was just a lot of grey area surrounding long-term health, whether it was causing any damage, and if there was any potential to have a fatal bleed on the field. They just really couldn't say yes or no. And I wasn't happy with that.

 

 

"It was a pretty tough little period, the last five or six months, but I've come to terms with it now, and I'm pretty comfortable with where it's all at. I would have loved a Big Bash title. That would have been unbelievable because I think it's an amazing competition. And we had our chances with the Stars throughout the years. [But] it wasn't to be."

 

 

Hastings, who has represented Australia across all three formats - playing 1 Tests, 29 ODIs and 9 T20Is - has bagged 50 international wickets apart from being the second-highest wicket-taker in 2016. Despite having had a 'tough initiation' in commentary where he publicly criticised the selection of his close friend Steve O'Keefe resulting in a tiff in their relationship, he will look to continue looking for more media opportunities.