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You think all Test cricketers are millionaires? Read this

After applying for unemployment benefits post retirement, New Zealand's wicketkeeper batsman Sinclair says he did this to support his family.

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Mathew Sinclair is a decent wicket-keeper batsman and has played 33 Tests for New Zealand with an average record to show for. After hanging up his shoes in July this year, the 37-year-old applied for unemployment benefits to support his family. Can you imagine something like this in India? No. But the land of Kiwis is different and cricket is not a ‘religion’ there like it is here.

“It is difficult to run a family and play cricket at 37. In New Zealand, you don’t get the kind of contract that cricketers get in India. There it is like a full time job while in New Zealand, it is only six months of cricket due to weather,” Sinclair told dna from Napier in a telephone interview.

The stylish right-handed batsman said he was looking for stability in life. “I am not 17 or 18 to live life on my terms. Today, I have my wife and kids to support. Also, I am getting older.

“The contracts that we get are of six months, which is not really great. I have to feed my family. Playing cricket, I have stayed away from them for long.

“Had I been younger and single it wouldn’t have mattered, but it matters now. Hence, I took this decision and applied for unemployement benefits before I get a job,” said the Australian-born cricketer.

Sinclair lives with wife Tina and two kids, four-year old son Liam and three-year old daughter Holly.

Given his excellent fitness, Sinclair could have continued playing for a couple of years. “Leaving cricket was a very tough decision to make,” Sinclair said.

“I have played for two decades at all levels. I have been playing professional T20 too. Opened the innings and scored some good runs. I have performed well in domestic cricket and in all forms of the game. I was fit and could have played more, but it is time that I move on.”

“I had no option but to look for opportunities outside cricket before it was late,” he added.
About playing in the cash-rich Indian Premier League , where fellow New Zealander Ross Taylor has a million dollar deal with Pune Warriors, Sinclair said a season with the league would have been helpful. “I wanted to go and play but unfortunately I could not,” he said.
The stocky player hasn’t left the game completely. He said he is open to coaching assignments. “May be as a batting consultant somewhere,” he added.

Sinclair had a promising start to his career with a double hundred on debut against West Indies in Wellington in 1999. He followed it up with another double in the same season against Pakistan. However, he was unable to cement his side in the New Zealand team. “I struggled at the highest level,” he said.

When asked if he will stop his children from choosing cricket as a career, Sinclair answered in negative. “Why? It is up to them. They are too young now. I would be happy if they play.” 

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