All-rounder Kelly Smuts retired from professional cricket recently.
Smuts collected 124 first-class caps from 2009 to 2025. He played for the Warriors, Northern Cape and South Western Districts – and collected 15 centuries and six five-wicket hauls.
“I decided at the start of the 2024-25 season that it was going to be my last. I didn’t announce it at the time because I didn’t want the season to be about me – I don’t like that limelight,” Smuts told the Full Quota Podcast.
“I had a decent previous season with SWD. It wasn’t amazing – it wasn’t bad. It was time. I knew my heart wasn’t fully in it anymore.
“Winning the Africa T20 Cup with Eastern Province is a highlight of my career. Hitting a century for the Warriors on four-day debut was cool. Hit a half-ton for the Warriors on T20 debut was cool.
“My proudest career highlight is when I scored a century and took 13 wickets in one match against Boland in Paarl. The second-innings seven-for included four wickets in four consecutive balls. This collective performance, I’m told, is some sort of world record in cricket.”
He is the brother of Proteas and Dolphins all-rounder Jon-Jon Smuts.
Proteas and Dolphins batsman Sarel Erwee retired, too, recently. Border’s Marco Marais and North West’s Matthew Kleinveldt are also among recent retirements in South African professional cricket.
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