twenty20, warne, smith, and lack of pace ...(Sports)

BYLINE: TELFORD VICE

A GOLDEN era in South African sport ended a few weeks ago with the retirement of Shaun Pollock from international cricket.

For the past 12 years, the red-headed Dolphins all-rounder has been one of the few constants in the national team and his absence will surely be felt in the future.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Cape Times, Pollock reflects on his career, why he was always a bit of perfectionist, the future of cricket and what it feels like not to have to worry about his next match.

How's it feeling to be retired?

It feels like the end of the season, where you have a few months off with nothing much to do. But I think once the guys start playing and I'm watching from a distance, I'll start to appreciate it more. But I have a peace about my decision and I had a wonderful send-off. It couldn't have been better.

You don't come across as the most emotional bloke, and South Africans in general might get besides themselves when we win the World Cup. But your send-off was extraordinary.

I was blown away by it. You'd think a few people might come and say cheers, but the scale of it was amazing. It was a sad time for me because I was stopping playing, and it did feel as if the crowd was carrying me. Everytime I picked up the ball to throw it in from the boundary, they were cheering. It was almost surreal in many ways. I was really grateful …