Birmingham (England), July 26: England wicket-keeper Alec Stewart has said the thought of another tough winter away from home had prompted him to announce his retirement from Test cricket. Surrey stalwart Stewart, 40, had said on the eve of the first test here against South Africa at Edgbaston that he would quit test cricket at the end of the current series against the Proteas. That gives Stewart the chance to bow out from England duty on his oval home ground where the fifth and final test gets underway on September 4. After that England travel to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka before touring the West Indies in the spring of 2004. Stewart, speaking at Edgbaston here yesterday where rain delayed the start of the second day's play, said: "with a long winter coming up I felt it would be one tour too many, and therefore I will call it a day at the oval or if not beforehand."

"I hope I have chosen the right time to go. I am sure I will miss it - but at the same time I will look back and say I have enjoyed my career."

Bureau Report.