Shaun Tait

Shaun Tait (born 22 February 1983) is a former Australian professional cricketer who was appointed as the bowling coach of the Pakistan national cricket team in February 2022.

He took almost 200 first-class wickets after making his first-class debut at the age of 19 against Western Australia in December 2002 at Adelaide Oval.

He only bowled in one innings on debut, taking three wickets for the cost of 77 runs (3/77) from 22.2 overs.

Tait played five matches during his first season, taking 20 wickets at a bowling average of 22.55 runs per wicket.

He made his List A debut in February 2003 and as a result of his strong first season, was awarded a place at the Australian Cricket Academy alongside players such as Ben Hilfenhaus and Luke Ronchi.

Tait was South Australia's leading wicket taker, and the second leading wicket taker overall in the 2003–04 ING Cup with 18 wickets at an average of 19.61.

Tait won four different awards throughout his career including the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year in 2004.

He is considered one of the fastest bowlers of all time.

Tait played for South Australia throughout his first-class career, also playing for Australia A and, in 2004, for Durham County Cricket Club in England.

The highlight of his season was his record-breaking haul of 8/43 against Tasmania on 9 January 2004.

These were the best figures by an Australian in List A cricket, and the eighth-best List A figures of all time.

He was selected in the Australia A team to take on the touring India side.

He took 3/85 in the Indians' first innings.

He once again had a strong Sheffield Shield season, taking 30 wickets at an average of 28.33

and he was awarded the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year award.

In July 2004, Tait was signed by Durham County Cricket Club for the second half of the English County Championship season.

His first match was against a Somerset side captained by fellow Australian Ricky Ponting, although he did not take a wicket and bowled 21 no balls in his 12 overs.

Tait only played one more first-class match for Durham before returning to Australia.

Tait was awarded his first Cricket Australia central-contract for the 2004–05 season, being included ahead of Queensland fast bowler Andy Bichel.

Tait repaid the selectors' faith in him by having his best season to date; he took 65 first-class wickets at an average of 20.16, surpassing Clarrie Grimmett's record for most wickets in a season for a South Australian bowler.

Tait was named in Australia's Test squad to tour Sri Lanka in 2004 as a replacement for the injured Brett Lee, although he did not play in a Test on the tour.

After missing the opening half of the 2005–06 domestic season with an injury to his right shoulder, sustained on the Ashes tour, Tait struggled on his return, taking only 14 wickets at 38.35 in the four matches in which he was able to play.

After an impressive domestic summer, in April 2005 he was named in Australia's squad to tour England for the 2005 Ashes series and made his Test match debut against England on 25 August 2005 at Trent Bridge in the fourth match of the series.

Some suggested that Tait should have played in the first Test of the series, but an injury to Glenn McGrath and the poor form of Jason Gillespie gave Tait his chance later in the series.

Tait bowled 24 overs and took 3/97 in his first innings, the best figures of any Australian fast bowler in the match.

Despite this, he was still named as part of the Australia A squad to play in the 2006 Top End Series.

A strong season in 2006–07, taking 29 wickets at 27.10, saw him win the Lord Hampden Trophy for South Australia's player of the season.

He played as a right arm fast bowler and represented Australia in all three forms of cricket, but had most success in One Day Internationals, in which he was a member of Australia's undefeated team at the 2007 Cricket World Cup, and Twenty20 cricket.

Tait was a member of the Australian team that won the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

After a Twenty20 match against New Zealand on 11 December 2007, in which Tait troubled the batsmen and took 2/22, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori and coach John Bracewell publicly raised doubts over the legality of Tait's bowling action.

Tait labelled the comments as a "disgrace" and added that he would be willing to undergo tests to prove his action was legal.

An elbow injury kept Tait out for the opening parts of the 2007–08 Sheffield Shield season, however, upon recovery, a match against Queensland at the Brisbane Cricket Ground saw him take his first 10-wicket haul.

He took 3/69 in the first innings and 7/29 in the second, his best first-class figures.

Tait retired from Test cricket in 2009, and later from One Day Internationals in March 2011, to concentrate on playing T20 cricket.

During a Twenty20 international match in February 2010 Tait bowled a ball measured at 160.7 km/h, the fastest ball ever recorded in Australia.

Tait has often been described as "erratic" and is capable of bowling many extras, although his unpredictability can be a positive factor in dismissing batsmen.

Tait has also been criticised as being "expensive."

In March 2017, Tait announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

Tait's delivery action was a sling style reminiscent of former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson's action.

Dubbed "The Wild Thing", during his career Tait was considered one of the fastest bowlers in the world, regularly bowling at speeds up to 155 km/h.