London, Sept 04: South African star Jonty Rhodes has confirmed that he will be retiring from first-class cricket at the end of the English county season. "I'm done, I've been playing for 14 years and I've enjoyed every day at the office, and have no regrets whatsoever," he told the BBC today.
"Cricket has been such a major part of my life so it will be nice to have a break and see where the future takes me," he said.
Rhodes, currently playing for Gloucestershire, is expected to make use of his business degree, having received five job offers for non-cricketing work. The 34-year-old played 52 Tests and 245 one-day internationals for South Africa after making his debut at the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
He averaged 35 in both forms of the game, but was best known for his brilliant fielding.
Having decided to quit Test cricket in 2000, he remained a member of South Africa's one-day side in the hope of helping them win the world cup on home soil earlier this year. But he was forced out of the tournament by a broken hand and south africa failed to progress beyond the first round group stage.
Gloucestershire coach John Bracewell, who is also leaving the county to coach his native New Zealand, said, "It's sad for cricket that Jonty will not be continuing."
"Having said that, we knew that the odds on him coming back for another year were probably against us," he added.
"He has been a marvellous ambassador for cricket," said Bracewell. Bureau Report