Eduan Roos

Johannesburg – South Africa may soon be without their 438 batting hero. Sport24 has heard from reliable sources that Herschelle Gibbs is planning to end a Proteas career that has spanned 13 years.

The 35-year-old Capetonian was recently omitted from South Africa’s one-day side after also being axed from the Test team nearly two years ago.

Gibbs played the last of his 90 Tests in January last year, but represented the Proteas in the Champions Trophy tournament as recently as September.

He was axed from the one-day side in October and his replacement, Alviro Petersen, has scored plenty of runs in the series against England.

“It has nothing to do with the fact that he has been omitted for the umpteenth time,” someone close to Gibbs told Sport24.

“While there are still a few options to consider, he feels that he has had enough after such a long career.”

Gibbs apparently already considered quitting last year, but ultimately decided to continue fighting for his Proteas spot.

“The reality is that he should already have retired last year as he wanted to finish his career on a high in order to safeguard his legacy.”

Gibbs is still likely to be available to play in the Indian Premier League and for the Cape Cobras.

He was one of the world’s most lethal opening batsmen for a long period and probably the most gifted stroke-player in the country.

His innings of 175 in the so-called 438 game against Australia four years ago is still considered the best in the history of the one-day game.

However, his batting heroics have been overshadowed by a number of scandals off the field, which were brought to a head when he was axed last year because of alcohol abuse and ordered into a rehabilitation programme.

Gibbs kept struggling for form and he scored the last of his one-day centuries in April against Australia in Port Elizabeth.

Proteas coach Mickey Arthur maintains that Gibbs is in his plans for the 2011 World Cup in India and is not aware of the player’s intentions.

Neither Gibbs nor his agent, Donné Commins, wanted to comment.