Nestles cricketer Tim Ludeman retires after decorated career

A fairytale Warrnambool and District Cricket Association premiership in his return to junior club Nestles in March was the final chapter in his playing journey that started at Nirranda and blossomed into a 10-year professional career.

The wicketkeeper-batsman played first-class cricket with South Australia and Twenty-20 cricket with both Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades.

The 36-year-old, who once held the record for the fastest 50 in the Big Bash League, revealed a number of factors influenced his decision to call time.

"It was a combination of a lot of things, I played a lot of cricket over the journey and probably the body doesn't hold up like it used to," he said. "I won one (premiership) with Nestles 20 years ago from the season just gone and then to win one the first year back, 20 years on, probably makes sense just to finish up there and focus on family and other things."

Ludeman hasn't reflected too much on his achievements and is reluctant to say he has 'retired' from playing cricket.

"I don't see it as retiring," he said. "I think only the greats really retire and I certainly wasn't a great, I just enjoyed what I did. I'm simply not going to play anymore that's how I look at it.

"Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne and those sort of guys, they can retire, they were the greats of the game.

"But it was good fun, to grow up doing something you love and then for it to become your employment for 10 years of my life, it's pretty special and took me all over the world and all around Australia as well and to play against some of the greats was pretty cool over the journey.

"Elite sport, it probably always gets cut short quicker than you want it to. So then to come back and play with Nestles and have some success was pretty special and a nice way to cap it off."

Ludeman had a consistent year with the Factory last season, scoring 208 runs in division one at an average of 26 after a two-year hiatus from playing.

He made a valuable contribution in the semi-final against Mortlake with an unbeaten 36 before backing it up in the decider with a composed 38 against Russells Creek.

The former South Australian Redback said winning a second flag with his junior club, 20 years after his first and the club's last, was "awesome".

He enjoyed sharing the success with people such as schoolmate Geoff Williams - who scored an unbeaten ton for Nestles in the grand final - and Factory president Gary MacLean who he played alongside in the club's previous flag win.

Ludeman, who lives in Warrnambool and has two young children, won't be lost to cricket in the region though and is planning to stay involved with Nestles.

"I've told the club I'll do some batting work with the guys when I can get there," he said.

"I'll be still floating around, watching and helping out where I can, that's for sure."

Ludeman, who had plenty of highlights, selected a few as his favourites.

"Playing first class cricket is a pretty cool thing, (especially) to play your first game and then probably the different parts of the world that it takes you to," he said.

"Personally the team of the tournament in BBL04 was pretty cool because there were some pretty good names in that team, so to be a part of that was a nice feather in the cap.

"The 20 years between the Nestles flags was pretty special too. To win two flags with your junior club and to do it 20 years apart is pretty cool as well."

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