da realbet： Courtney Walsh looks set to retire from Test match cricket after the fifthand final test of West Indies’ series with South Africa
da marjack bet： Sean Beynon19-Apr-2001Courtney Walsh looks set to retire from Test match cricket after the fifthand final test of West Indies’ series with South Africa. The 38-year-old,who holds the record for number of Test victims, is likely to bow out beforehis adoring home crowd at Sabina Park.
Walsh- retirement looms
Photo CricInfo
</tableWalsh had planned his retirement to be after the current series, and saysthat "nothing has changed" to make him decide otherwise. He will speak toWest Indies skipper Carl Hooper before making a formal announcement.The Jamaican insisted that his impending exit from the game should not bethe main focus point of the match. It is one which the West Indiesdesperately want to win to restore some pride, having already lost theseries. He told CricInfo's Colin Croft: "The Test series is upmost in our minds; we want to get back and win this game."Walsh's wicket tally stands at 513. Just over a year since Walshdismissed Henry Olonga to go past Kapil Dev in the list of all timewicket-takers, he has added another 78 Test wickets to his total.The current series against South Africa has proved successful personally forWalsh. He trapped Jacques Kallis leg before at Port-of-Spain to earn his500th Test match victim. In all, the series has so far brought Walsh 19wickets.Walsh said that he was still enjoying his cricket. "It's nice to still beable to perform at this level. I'm happy to still be competing. I want to goout with a bang." Careful to play down his record, he said he wanted to beremembered "as a performer who gave 100% to the team".Walsh thinks that the West Indies are in the process of rebuilding. "ThisTest match is very important. It could be the turning point where the guysget that winning feeling. It would be nice if it could start here in thefinal one for me."Should Walsh retire now, cricket will bid farewell to one of its finestbowlers. The Fifth Test at Sabina Park will be his 132nd. Added to this arededicated performances for Jamaica and Gloucestershire, who he served asoverseas player for twelve seasons.He has taken nearly 1,800 first-class wickets, and even scored 4,500 first-class runs. The effort which Walsh has shown is phenomenal, and few would begrudge him a hatful of wickets as he leaves the international stage.
