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| |  Monday, 25 February, 2002, 14:00 GMT Donald quits Test stage Donald's Test career came to a painful end Fast bowler Allan Donald has decided to retire from Test cricket following South Africa's record defeat by Australia in Johannesburg. The 35-year-old was only able to bowl 15.2 overs in the game, which Australia won by an innings and 360 runs, after suffering a hamstring injury. It was the worst defeat South Africa have suffered in a Test match and Donald believes wear and tear on his body means he can no longer play five-day cricket. "I have reached a stage where I am tired of letting myself, my team and my country down with my injuries," he said.
Donald hopes to prolong his career in one-day internationals, with the aim of being picked for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. "Allan has been a great servant of the game and we hope he will continue to shine in one-day International cricket. "We accept Allan's decision and his current contract, which expires in April, remains intact," said Gerald Majola, chief executive of the United Cricket Board. Donald made his Test debut against West Indies in Barbados in April 1992, South Africa's first Test match for 22 years following their international sporting exile. He went on to take 330 wickets in 72 Test appearances, at an average of 22.25, with figures of eight for 71 against Zimbabwe at Harare in 1995 his best return.
His importance can be measured by the fact that current captain Shaun Pollock is the only other South African to have taken more than 200 wickets in Tests. Donald enjoyed some memorable duels with the world's top batsmen, dismissing England's Mike Atherton 11 times and Mark Waugh of Australia on 10 occasions. But his career has been blighted by injury problems in recent years , and he did not play Test cricket between April and December 2001 because of an abdominal problem. He told the selectors nine months ago that he wanted to concentrate on one-day cricket, but was persuaded to return to the Test squad for the series in Australia, which began before Christmas. During his career, Donald was also a loyal servant for English county side Warwickshire. He spent 11 seasons at Edgbaston and helped the club win seven trophies between seven trophies between 1993 and 1997, the most successful period in their history. | |
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