Morkel unsure of playing future

Towering South Africa quick Morne Morkel has revealed he’d consider ditching limited-overs cricket to focus on Test cricket and prolong his career.

Morkel says his international career – 76 Tests, 112 ODIs and 41 T20Is in 11 years – is “nearly finished” and is unsure whether he is, at 32, in Cricket South Africa’s plans for the 2019 World Cup campaign.

"I don't know,” Morkel told ESPNcricinfo when asked how much longer he sees himself playing.

“After this tour we'll see. I'll speak with Cricket South Africa and see where they see me featuring.

"I love playing for this team. But it's not rocket science that they probably want to start looking, in white-ball cricket, at the 2019 World Cup.

“Am I going to part of those plans? If I can be around to help the younger guys find their feet, so be it. I'll do that.

“For me the main focus is this tour and then we'll go back and see how we go."

Morkel has been a pillar – and a massive one at that – for the Proteas in the ongoing Test series against England, which is currently deadlocked at 1-all.

He has nine wickets in the two Tests to date, and his match figures of 2-75 at Trent Bridge, where South Africa annihilated England by 340 runs, don’t paint an accurate picture of just how hostile and threatening he was.

It proves Morkel still has what it takes to compete in the five-day game, where as bowling with the white ball has been rare in the past 12 months.

A back injury sidelined him for almost a year, and despite playing in South Africa’s three Champions Trophy matches, he’s not sure of his future in the 50-over outfit.

"My conditioning's been good over the years and I really look after my body," he said. "Mentally and physically I feel strong.

“But the World Cup is two or three years down the line and those are decisions they need to make."

While international limited-overs cricket might be behind him, there will be no shortage of T20 franchises around the word vying for his signature.

But right now, with a Test series to be won in England, a jam-packed home summer and four Tests against Australia from February next year, playing for the Proteas is the priority for Morkel.

"If there's a T20 league I can go and play in and improve my skills and put my name into the hat for other tournaments, then I need to make that opportunity count,” he said.

“But the Proteas and this environment come first. So I need to focus on that."