Brett Lee retires from international cricket 13 years on, on Friday 13th

Sydney, July 13 (ANI): Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.

The 35-year-old pacer had earlier retired from Test cricket in February 2010 after taking 310 wickets in 76 matches, but continued playing for Australia in one-day matches and in the Twenty20 arena.

Lee said he had planned to end his career after the upcoming World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka.

Speaking on Channel Nine news, Lee said: "It has been a dream career, I guess, 13 years at the top. I couldn't ask for much more. Thirteen years, Friday the 13th, it's appropriate for me to go."

"I woke up this morning after not much sleep and it's the right time to go. It just came to me this morning and I just felt it's the right time to leave the game. It's been in the back of my mind for a few months."

Lee said he was happy to have played "in a fantastic era, playing with the likes of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist, Steve and Mark Waugh, heroes of mine growing up."

"It's now stage two of my life coming up so I'm pretty happy and pretty excited. My holiday will be at home, I'm sick of being away," he said.

Lee has had several major injuries in recent years and was forced home from the one-day series in England early last week after suffering a calf injury.

Lee took 380 wickets in 221 one-day internationals as well as 28 wickets from 25 Twenty20 appearances for Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

He began his a Test career in the MCG Boxing Day Test of 1999 and played his final Test at the same venue in 2008. (ANI)