Sri Lanka star Jayawardene to retire from Test cricket

COLOMBO, July 14 (AFP): Star Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene said Monday he would retire from Test cricket after the series against Pakistan in August, drawing the curtain on an almost two decade-long Test career.

Jayawardene, 37, who has been a stalwart of the batting order since making his debut against India in 1997, said it was not an easy decision but ultimately he felt it was the right time to go.

"It was not an easy decision to make given that it has been a great privilege and honour representing my country during the past 18 years," Jayawardene said in a letter to Sri Lanka Cricket.

"But I believe this is the right time (to go)."

Jayawardene is Test cricket's sixth-highest run-getter, amassing 11,493 runs in his stellar career and ranking alongside fellow Sri Lanka stalwart Kumar Sangakkara.

Jayawardene, a member of the Sri Lankan team which achieved last month's surprise 1-0 Test win in England, has played 145 Tests and averages just over 50 with 33 centuries.

The right-hander retired from Twenty20 internationals this April but will still be available for one-day international cricket.

Chief cricket selector and former team-mate Sanath Jayasuriya said Jayawardene wanted to concentrate on training for next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.