Vettori retires from international cricket

New Zealand legend Daniel Vettori has played his match for the Black Caps, officially announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket today.

Vettori arrived in Auckland today after Sunday's World Cup final loss to Australia as New Zealand's greatest ever wicket-taker, claiming 705 international wickets in 442 matches.

The 36-year-old was the form spin bowler of the tournament, capturing 15 wickets at 20.46 runs each and was promptly named in the ICC Team of the Tournament.

Vettori joins a raft of international greats to walk away from one-day international cricket following the World Cup, joining Australia's Michael Clarke, Sri Lanka pair Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, Zimbabwe batsman Brendon Taylor and Pakistan duo Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi.

"It was my last game for New Zealand, in the final, so it was a lovely way to finish," Vettori said upon arrival in Auckland.

"It would have been great to win, but I'm pretty proud of everyone, the way we've gone about things the last six weeks.

"To be able to finish in the final, albeit without a win, I'm just very grateful for the amount of support I had particularly from Brendon (McCullum) and Mike (Hesson, the coach).

"To be able to get back from a number of injuries and to be here and to be part of it is something I'll always treasure."

Vettori said he was hopeful the Black Caps had brought a new legion of fans into cricket with their style of play.

"That's hopefully the legacy of this World Cup - between 1992 and this one, there's some lasting memories for everyone.

"Hopefully some people have fallen in love with cricket, or fallen back in love with it. We've had so much support the whole way round, the guys have fed off that a lot. They've really enjoyed every aspect of it."

Making his Test debut 10 days after his 18th birthday, the left-arm orthodox spinner became the youngest player to represent his country in February 1997.

Vettori announced himself to Australian fans in March 2000 when he ripped through Steve Waugh's men in Auckland, taking 12 wickets for the match including 7-87 in the second innings.

In 2003, the left-hander scored his maiden Test century, posting 137 batting at No.9 in the drawn first Test against Pakistan in Hamilton.

A year later Vettori captained his country for the first time in ODI cricket, dismantling Bangladesh for 86 to win by 138 runs in Chittagong and taking 3-8 with the ball.

August 2005 saw Vettori join an exclusive club when he trapped Zimbabwe's Heath Streak to claim his 200th Test wicket, the third New Zealander to do so. Vettori also scored the fastest century by a Black Cap, reaching three-figures in only 82 balls, outdoing fellow centurion wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum.

A decade after making his Test debut, Vettori, at 28, became New Zealand's full-time captain across all formats, replacing the outgoing Stephen Fleming.

Vettori is one of eight players to take 300 Test wickets and score 3000 Test runs, joining the likes of Shane Warne, Ian Botham and countryman Richard Hadlee.

In 2011, Vettori stepped down as captain following the World Cup in India and left Test cricket altogether in July the following year in the Caribbean, but returned two years later at the request of captain McCullum for a one-off match against Pakistan in the UAE last November.

Vettori won't be lost to Australian fans however, as he's rumoured to be the Brisbane Heat's new KFC T20 Big Bash League after spending the first four seasons with the club as an overseas player.