Sydney, January 1:

The exodus of Australian cricket veterans continued on Monday, with Justin Langer confirming he will join bowlers Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath in Test retirement after the last Ashes match against England.

The 36-year-old opening batsman said the fifth Test starting on Tuesday in Sydney would be his last. “There hasn’t been a waking moment for the last 20 years where I haven’t thought about playing Test and wearing the baggy green cap, so this is a tough moment,” he told a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Langer has scored 7,650 runs at an average of 45.27, including 23 centuries, in 104 Test and, together with Matthew Hayden, has forged Australia’s most successful opening partnerships.

He is the fourth long-standing member of the Australian side to announce his retirement this summer, joining all-time leading wickettaker Warne, all-time leading paceman McGrath and fellow West Australian batsman Damien Martyn.

Langer made his Test debut against the West Indies in Adelaide in 1993, but did not hold a permanent place in the starting XI until 2001-02. Langer said playing alongside some of the greats of cricket had been one of the most satisfying aspects.

“I’ve played in an incredible team so I retire from this game having played with some of the greatest players of all time,” he said. “It’s been a privilege with Shane and Glenn and Adam Gilchrist, the greatest wicketkeeper of all time, and Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting, who is the greatest batsman this country has produced after Bradman.” Langer, who will continue playing first-class cricket for Western Australia and English county Somerset, has opened the innings with Hayden since the end of the 2001 Ashes series at The Oval in England.

As an opening pair, Langer and Hayden have combined for 5,575 runs in 111 innings at 51.15. In their first seven Tests together, Langer and Hayden combined for four double-hundred opening stands and a century opening partnership. Only West Indies pair Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes have made more runs (6,482 at 46.63) than Langer and Hayden, but they played together for 13 years.