Graeme Smith to retire from international cricket

[jan]

Kallis-less and now Smith-less, interesting times for the Proteas. Not happy but can see hes had enough.
ABDV now?

 

[brockley]

Kolpak?

 

[Cabinet96]

I'm gutted. Wasn't always the best to watch, but there are few players I respect as much as him. Fantastic player who contributed so much more than just the runs at the impressive average. Played important knocks in pretty much every South African success, and so often led from the front when they needed him to. Hopefully people will look back on him with greater fondness than what he often got during his playing days. The way the South African public responded to the post World Cup fiasco was disgraceful.

Not many would have the maturity or willpower to take the captaincy at 22 and last as long as he did as captain. Credit to him.

Good news for Surrey you'd imagine as presumably he'll make use of his irish passport and become a domestic registered player.

Please, don't make this any worse than it is.

 

[uvelocity]

This would have been a win for benchmark had he not hedged his statement. What a shame this is, could have been a great moment for him where he finally makes up for the embarrassment of Sydney Swans premiership win in 2012.

thats right. there's absolutely no way this can be claimed. it's like writing out a tab ticket but not putting it in the machine. one of the great misses.

 

[Jono]

Haha, it's even worse than that. It's like writing out a TAB ticket saying "Smith will retire', and then writing out a TAB ticket saying "Smith won't retire', and then lodging them both.

 

[Red]

So Smith's actually Irish or something?

 

[salman85]

The news caught me off guard.

Very good player,but his usefullness to the SA side had dwindled off late.Not having someone of his experience in the SA side is going to be tough, but in the larger context of things its the right time for him to go and for SA to start fresh.

Also, massive respect to him for not dragging his career on only for statistical value.He could have easily fallen in that trap and wanted to reach 10,000 runs and then retire, but he didnt do that.Very commendable.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Legend of the game. Surprising news to wake up to but the way this Test is going, it probably won't end up being a very happy farewell. Smith has been a truly great cricketer.

 

[Xuhaib]

Great career.

Also after the surgery he was not the same probably did not want to block Kock much longer

 

[Daemon]

If benchmark made that call without seeing that instagram post, that irish citizenship or wherever else Smith hinted this was his last series then it's an undoubtably good call

 

[ankitj]

Well played, Smith! Have a happy retirement.

Does he have the record of captaining in most tests?

 

[smash84]

The end of an era for SA. Smith has been around for a long time and has pulled the SA side together making them world beaters.

Well done Smith and best of luck for the future

 

[Quaggas]

So Smith's actually Irish or something?

Wife is iirc

 

[Jono]

If benchmark made that call without seeing that instagram post, that irish citizenship or wherever else Smith hinted this was his last series then it's an undoubtably good call

Benchy's favourite word ftr

 

[brockley]

Hope he plays for Ireland.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Genuinely one of my favorite players of the last few years. Didn't think much of him as a captain, especially tactically, but a very underrated batsman. Averaging nigh on 50 as an opener for SA is nothing to sniff at. End of an era for SA, honestly, with both kallis and Smith gone. The era of AB shall now commence

 

[Zinzan]

SA so badly needed an uncompromising, tough yet inspiration skipper after the Cronje debacle, and they could not have done any better than Graeme Smith. The guy epitomised everything about SA cricket and so often lead from the front. Achieved pretty much everything one could from the game except a world cup. I felt he was at his absolute best in that away series win in Aust around 2008.

Massive blow to lose both he and Kallis in such a short space of time, but probably not a bad time to bow out given he has struggled with the bat of late.

 

[Spark]

 

[BoyBrumby]

Always been a fan.

Nah, look, not always been on side with him and even his staunchest admirers wouldn't call him a stylist as a bat, but one has to respect him. Made some seriously hard runs at times.

 

[Jono]

Always been a fan.

Nah, look, not always been on side with him and even his staunchest admirers wouldn't call him a stylist as a bat, but one has to respect him. Made some seriously hard runs at times.

Man, I thought Brumby saying the nickname "Fat Gray" in his first post in the retirement thread was a lock. Shocked it wasn't used.

Brumby is it fair to say your dislike of Smith was from the England tour to SA in 2004, and you just didn't really change your opinion since?