Steven Pope announces retirement

Steven Pope, the Warriors batsman, has decided to retire from cricket. Pope,33, made his decision following the move of the Warriors franchise from East London to Port Elizabeth.

"I would have liked to have played one more season, but it's not to be," said Pope. "I've also decided that I won't even play club cricket this coming summer."

This means that Pope ends his ten-season stint with the Bohemians, his East London club. Pope scored 12 first-class centuries, his highest being 156 not out in a match against the Eagles at East London in January 2005. Though the match was drawn, he scored centuries in both innings, getting run out for 113 in the second. His greatest regret, according to Pope, is not to have reached 15 first-class centuries.

"I played with some great players like Kepler Wessels, Eldine Baptiste, Brett Schultz and Mark Rushmere and these players really helped to develop my cricket in the early stages of my first-class career," said Pope, who is also a part-time offspin bowler.

The Warriors' move to Port Elizabeth came in April 2006, after Fidentia, a finance company from Cape Town agreed to sponsor the struggling club for R5million (US$759,301) for two years.

Pope's announcement to retire follows the decision of Mark Bruyns, his Warriors team-mate and opening bastman, to retire after a poor season with the team.