Siddle mulling offers but keen to stay at Victoria

Veteran quick Peter Siddle wants to end his career at Victoria but says he’s been approached by other states who are looking to secure his services for next summer and beyond.

Reports circulated last month that Siddle was being targeted by Tasmania and Western Australia, but it is understood the 35-year-old is unlikely to head west.

Siddle has played for Victoria since making his debut in October 2005, capturing 233 Sheffield Shield wickets in 62 matches and winning two titles.

While he would like to remain at Junction Oval for the remaining seasons of his stellar career, he says a call on his future will be decided in the "next couple of weeks", likely after Cricket Australia announces the 2020-21 national contract list, which has been delayed due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think with what's going on at the moment around the world and around Australian cricket, time is on our hands," Siddle said on The Unplayable Podcast.

"We've got no idea at the minute where things are going to head, where contracts are going to be and how cricket's going to be this summer.

"At this stage it's just a waiting game. I still want to play for Victoria and be at Victoria but a few states have shown interest and that's not bad when you know you're going to be 36, 37 (years old).

"It's nice to be wanted."

While Siddle currently holds a national contract, he is set to lose it having announced his international retirement last December, ending a 67-Test career that netted 221 wickets.

At 35, Siddle is bowling as well as ever – he captured 32 wickets at less than 20 apiece last Shield summer – and had the coronavirus not hit, he would be in the United Kingdom fulfilling the final year of his contract with county side Essex.

It might be a shocking sight to see Siddle wearing anything other than the navy blue of Victoria next season but the right-armer says the player movement brought about by the KFC BBL has made switching teams less daunting.

"With Big Bash coming about, it’s made it a little easier for the guys who made changes over the years," Siddle said.

"I think before Big Bash no one ever thought about moving.

"Pretty similar to AFL (Australian Football League), no one used to move until free agency came in and now players do it all the time.

"We'll see what happens. I've been at Victoria since I was 19, so … it's been a long time.

"Hopefully that will stay that way and be many more years to come.

"But I'm only getting older and there's not a lot of cricket left in me, so we've got to see what the future holds."