CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s Jacques Kallis retired from all international cricket on Wednesday, as one of the game’s greatest all-rounders admitted that a swansong at the World Cup next year was ‘a bridge too far’.

The 38-year-old Kallis retired from Tests and Twenty20s in December but remained available for One-day Internationals in the hope of making the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February/March at the age of 39.

But he conceded on Wednesday that wouldn’t happen, and said he came to his decision to give up all internationals after the recent ODI series in Sri Lanka, where he scored 0, 1 and 4 and didn’t bowl.

“I realized in Sri Lanka that my dream of playing in a World Cup was a bridge too far. Just knew on that tour that I was done,” Kallis said in a statement released by Cricket South Africa.

“The squad that was in Sri Lanka is an amazing one and I believe they have a good chance of bringing the trophy home in March.

“I would like to thank Cricket South Africa, the team, the team sponsors, my sponsors, the fans and all the people who have been involved in my career. It has been an amazing journey.”

Kallis is widely considered South Africa’s greatest player, and the best all-rounder of the modern era.

“To say that we will miss him on the playing field is stating the obvious,” CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

“Jacques is a legend,” new South Africa Test captain Hashim Amla said.

South African one-day captain A.B. de Villiers said Kallis’ experience and tactical knowledge would be missed.

“His value and statistics on the field speak volumes, but his presence in the change room and willingness to teach the youngsters was immense,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2014