Lizelle Lee: South Africa batter retires from international game

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Lizelle Lee scored four white-ball hundreds for South Africa and is renowned as one of the biggest hitters in the women's game

South Africa batter Lizelle Lee has retired from the international game three days before the start of a one-day series against England.

The 30-year-old was in the South Africa squad preparing to face England in a three-match series beginning on Monday.

Lee, her country's all-time leading Twenty20 run-scorer, will still play in domestic competitions around the world.

"From a young age, I have lived cricket and wanted to represent my country at the highest level," she said.

"Over the past eight years I was able to live that dream and I feel I have given everything I could to the Proteas."

Only the recently retired Mignon du Preez has scored more ODI runs than Lee, and Cricket South Africa director of cricket Enoch Nkwe said: "It is with great sadness we have to bid farewell to a titan of South African cricket at a relatively young age, however we wholeheartedly respect the individual's decision.

"We wish her and her young family nothing but the best from here onwards."