South African fast bowler announces his retirement from International cricket

Team South Africa is all set to host Australia in a four-match Test series in their next international assignment. The Proteas have been heavily dented in their morale after ODI and T20I series defeat against India recently. However, the team will take pride from their Test series win against the same opposition earlier on the tour.

Now, with the tour set to commence, the South African camp has received a major blow. One of the senior members of the side, and a key part of the pace bowling composition of the side, has announced his retirement from the game. Tall pace bowler Morne Morkel has officially announced that the upcoming Test series against Australia will be his last in international cricket.

This certainly comes as a big blow to the Proteas camp since they will be dented heavily in the pace department. Dale Steyn is already an injury prone candidate. Hence, the presence of Morne Morkel often proved to be the saving factor for the team. Now, with Morkel bowing out after the Australia series, things will not be easy for South Africa in the transition phase.

Illustrious career of Morne Morkel

Talking about the numbers, Morne Morkel has played 83 Test matches for South Africa. He has scalped as many as 294 wickets and is looking good to finish with over 300 Test scalps to his name. He has 7 five wicket hauls to his name and his best figures are of 6/23 in the Test cricket. In the ODIs, Morkel has featured in 117 ODIs for the Proteas.

In the 117 matches, he has scalped 188 wickets with 2 five wicket hauls and a best of 5/21. In the shortest format of the game, the lanky pacer has bagged 47 wickets in 44 appearances with a best of 4/17. Commenting on the upcoming assignment, the four-match Test series commences on March 1, 2018. The first match will be played at Durban. The next three matches will be played at Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, and Johannesburg respectively.

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