Former Proteas fast bowler Rusty Theron has announced his retirement from professional cricket.

It’s a setback for the Warriors, as the 30-year old Theron was the spearhead in their impressive run of five consecutive wins at the back end of the Momentum One-Day Cup series last season.

Theron represented South Africa in four T20 internationals and nine one-day internationals (ODIs) between 2010 and 2012. His 5-44 was a career-best in ODIs.

‘Rusty was head and shoulders above the other death bowlers in last season’s Momentum One-Day Cup competition. He would have represented South Africa in many more matches if he had not been struggling with injuries,’ said Malibongwe Maketa, the Warriors head coach.

The coach revealed a niggling knee injury contributed to Theron’s decision.

Theron was a mainstay of the attack during the MTN40 competition of 2009/2010, when the Warriors won the title. He nipped out 21 batsmen in the series with a best of 4-33.

‘Rusty hated losing, and he motivated the rest of the squad. He was a definite leader for us, and he also provided a light-hearted moment in the heat of the battle,’ Maketa said.

The fast bowler’s ability to change pace, and to take late wickets at the business end of the innings with excellent yorkers, made him one of South Africa’s most feared exponents of death bowling.

Theron, currently in Florida in the United States, wants to take a teacher’s degree, said Leigh Deyzel, commercial manager at Cricket Eastern Cape. – Supersport.com