Alec Stewart has ended speculation about his imminent retirement from top cricket by confirming that he hopes to remain in the first-class game for at least another two years. Writing in his regular diary column for CricInfo, the Surrey and England wicketkeeper said: "I've still got a year left with Surrey after this season, and I'm already in preliminary talks to extend that for another year, which will take me through to 2003. Therefore any speculation that I won't be playing any more first-class cricket after the Oval Test is pretty far from the truth."

Asked whether he hopes to remain a part of the England set-up this coming winter, Stewart said: "You can draw your own conclusions from the fact that I'm not planning to retire from the first-class game. Two years ago I said that I wanted to be involved in this series. That's what may have prompted the speculation that I was about to pack it in. But while I'm still enjoying the game, feeling fit, playing all right, I want to keep playing."

Stewart, 38, has played 113 Test matches for England. If he agrees terms with Surrey he will still be playing first-class cricket when England participate in the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa early in 2003, by which time he will be nearing his 40th birthday. It may be that he also harbours hopes of one final crack at the Australians when England make the trip down under late next year.

© CricInfo