It seems like the lanky, fast bowler of South Africa Morne Morkel is contemplating retirement. Currently, the South African team is in England for the ongoing tour. The 32-year-old Morkel has featured in 76 Tests and 112 One Day Internationals, scalping 262 and 186 wickets respectively. The 1.96 metres tall bowler has also been a part of the Indian Premier League franchisee Kolkata Knight Riders as well. The 32-year-old Morkel feels his career is ‘nearly finished’ and will meet Cricket South Africa (CSA) at the end of England tour to discuss his future. He has not been included in the limited overs team for over 11 months now and that is being cited as one of the reasons.
“I don’t know. After this tour we’ll see. I’ll speak with Cricket South Africa and see where they see me featuring. I love playing for this team. But it’s not rocket science that they probably want to start looking, in white-ball cricket, at the 2019 World Cup. Am I going to part of those plans? If I can be around to help the younger guys find their feet, so be it. I’ll do that. For me the main focus is this tour and then we’ll go back and see how we go,” Morkel told ESPNcricinfo.
“My conditioning’s been good over the years and I really look after my body. Mentally and physically I feel strong. But the World Cup is two or three years down the line and those are decisions they need to make,” Morkel added.
“If there’s a T20 league I can go and play in and improve my skills and put my name into the hat for other tournaments, then I need to make that opportunity count. But the Proteas and this environment come first. So I need to focus on that,” he concluded.
If he retires, cricket will miss him dearly for his emphatic pace bowling.
Meanwhile, AB de Villiers contemplating retirement from Test cricket to prolong his limited overs career.
