HOBART, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 26: Shaun Tait of the Hurricanes stretches before the Big Bash League match between the Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Stars at Blundstone Arena on December 26, 2016 in Hobart, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The 'Wild Thing' has today officially announced his retirement from cricket.

Shaun Tait, known as one of the fastest bowlers ever in first class cricket, had his career hampered by injury.

He mostly recently featured for Hobart in the Big Bash League, while his last appearance for Australia was in a T20 International against India in 2016. Towards the end of his career, Tait had become a gun for higher in the shortest format of the game. The four-over per bowler restriction, suiting his playing style and body.

The South Australian finishes with five Test wicket from only three matches, 62 wickets at 23.56 in ODIs, and 28 wickets at 21.03 in T20I. In first class T20 matches, he managed 218 wickets in 171 matches.

Perhaps one of the Wild Thing's most notable acts, was bowling the second fastest recorded ball in international cricket history. His 161.1kph thunderbolt in an ODI against England at Lord's, sits just 0.2kph behind Shoaib Akhtar's record.

In talking to cricket.com.au Tait said, "I honestly wanted to play a couple more years, whether it was over in the UK or here".

"I knew during the Big Bash that I was going to finish up. The elbow has pretty much gone off a cliff now, it's done and dusted. I'm 34 years old and I suppose when you're not contributing on the field as much as you'd like to, it's time to finish up."