Former Proteas spinner Johan Botha has retired from all forms of professional cricket with immediate effect.
Botha played five Tests, 78 ODIs and 40 T20Is between 2015 and 2012 before moving to Australia.
‘Ironically, Botha finished his short 10-game career with the Hobart Hurricanes tonight, battling against his former Sydney Sixers teammates at the SCG in a gripping and high-quality top of the table clash,’ read a statement from the Hurricanes franchise.
Thank you and best wishes to Johan Botha who tonight announced his retirement from cricket effective immediately https://t.co/fWMFLqj1OE
— Rick Eyre on cricket (@rickeyrecricket) January 23, 2019
‘The 36-year-old white-ball specialist joined Hobart from the Sydney Sixers, with his sharp off-spinners, fine fielding and handy lower order batting proving a valuable team addition.
‘We wish the enthusiastic fitness fanatic, cyclist, golfer and runner all the very best with his future endeavours, and thank him for his time and efforts at the Hobart Hurricanes since signing prior to the Abu Dhabi T20 in September 2018.’
Thanks for the memories and googlys @johan_botha pic.twitter.com/JAD1Gvtszv
— Joe Proctor (@LaneBoyRSA) January 23, 2019
An International Cricket Council statement continued: ‘While his spin perhaps didn’t have the bite required to make him a force in Test cricket – he played only five games in the longest format – his canny, accurate off-spin, punchy batting and fine fielding made Botha the archetypal white-ball all-rounder, adaptable in the extreme.
Hearing Johan Botha will announce his immediate retirement after tonight's match against the Sixers. Massive blow for the Hurricanes, been a big part of their success so far #SuperCoachBBL #BBL08
— SuperCoach Bandit (@SC__Bandit) January 23, 2019
‘He was one of South Africa’s stand-out performers at the 2011 World Cup, maintaining a miserly economy rate of 4.07 runs per over, while his abilities under pressure are further emphasised by his two Player of the Match performances in T20Is, in thrilling one-run and three-run wins against West Indies and New Zealand in 2010 and 2012 respectively.’
Johan Botha – career batting statistics
| Mat | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100 | 50 | Ct | |
| Tests | 5 | 83 | 25 | 20.75 | 34.87 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| ODIs | 78 | 609 | 46 | 19.03 | 85.77 | 0 | 0 | 36 |
| T20Is | 40 | 201 | 34 | 18.27 | 121.81 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| First-class | 90 | 4015 | 109 | 31.61 | 1 | 27 | 63 | |
| List A | 184 | 2333 | 61 | 24.05 | 82.73 | 0 | 9 | 70 |
| T20s | 215 | 1966 | 67* | 19.46 | 113.18 | 0 | 2 | 93 |
Johan Botha – career bowling statistics
| Mat | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR | |
| Tests | 5 | 1017 | 573 | 17 | 4/56 | 33.70 | 3.38 | 59.80 |
| ODIs | 78 | 3823 | 2916 | 72 | 4/19 | 40.50 | 4.57 | 53.00 |
| T20Is | 40 | 774 | 823 | 37 | 3/16 | 22.24 | 6.37 | 20.90 |
| First-class | 90 | 14656 | 7103 | 220 | 6/34 | 32.28 | 2.90 | 66.60 |
| List A | 184 | 8782 | 6455 | 171 | 4/19 | 37.74 | 4.41 | 51.30 |
| T20s | 215 | 4253 | 4621 | 163 | 4/16 | 28.34 | 6.51 | 26.00 |
Photo: Wayne Drought/Photosport.co.nz
