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South
African Jonty Rhodes has announced his retirement from Test cricket, while
fellow international Daryll Cullinan has quit the one-day game.
Rhodes, regarded as world cricket's outstanding fielder, announced his
decision today although he has confirmed he will continue to play one-day
internationals in an effort to make the South African squad for the 2003
World Cup.
The 31-year-old cited family commitments as the main reason for his
decision to quit the Test arena, according to reports in South African
newspapers.
Regarded as an exceptional one-day player from the moment he first
appeared for South Africa in the 1992 World Cup, Rhodes has gone on to
play 52 Test matches, scoring more than 2,500 runs with three centuries at
an average of 35.66.
Cullinan, meanwhile, tried to phase himself out of the one-day side at the
start of the year, but was press-ganged by the United Cricket Board after
signing a two-year contract to play in last four Standard Bank one-day
internationals against New Zealand.
The stylish 33-year-old batsman failed to produce the form he would have
liked and as a result will now concentrate on playing Test cricket for his
country.
Both players were unavailable for comment today, but it is understood that
they have discussed their cricketing futures with the UCB in Cape Town.
New contracts for both players will be negotiated, although United Cricket
Board managing director Ali Bacher does not believe that this will lead to
the complete separation of South Africa's Test and one-day sides. He said
that both Cullinan and Rhodes were exceptional cases.
It is not entirely clear what the position of the players will be as
regards their commitments to their provinces, but Bacher said that the
door was still open for negotiation.
The short term effect of Rhodes' decision will be to open another middle
order place in the South African Test team. With Herschelle Gibbs still
serving the suspension imposed as a result of the King Commission's
match-fixing investigations, it seems likely that Boeta Dippenaar will
open for South Africa with Neil McKenzie coming in at five. |
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