Graeme Smith to retire from international cricket

[Arjun]

It will be an eventful career when it ends. Only when you look back do you realise he's played for more than ten years. Not many have had a Test career that long. Captain, opener and one of the team's most prolific batsmen. Also unlucky to miss out on several all-time XIs.

We'd like him to continue, but if he doesn't feel up to it, he's free to move on. South Africa have lost a lot of their best players in the last few years (Boucher, Kallis, Smith, to name a few), but it's up to the team management and cricket board officials to manage the change of guard.

 

[BoyBrumby]

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?

Think it was before that, tbh.

Couple of times he gave evidence about fellow professionals to umpires and/or match referees. Was even nicknamed "The Witness" for a time. For an avowed sledger himself it struck me as slightly hypocritical.

Never been a fan of telling tales out of school, me. Leave it on the pitch.

 

[Garson007]

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.

Surprising from both him and Kallis.

 

[uvelocity]

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.

lol. actually its like writing the 2 tab tickets, but not lodging either of them due to being a tightarse

 

[Xuhaib]

Smith never seemed like one who cared for records. Winning his last 2 away series to Aus/Eng will be the highlights of his career.

 

[Flem274*]

No words.

South Africa were always in with a chance of success if Smith was at the crease. Ridiculous player.

 

[ajdude]

No words.

South Africa were always in with a chance of success if Smith was at the crease. Ridiculous player.

i don't get why you said "no words" but then proceeded to say "South Africa were always in with a chance of success if Smith was at the crease. Ridiculous player.". it seems that you actually did have numerous words.

 

[vic_orthdox]

A man who was so easily dislikable earning the respect of so many says a lot.

 

[paulted]

Just checked his stats, can't believe how many first class games (159) to tests (116) he's played. Some record surely? Great player though.

 

[Howe_zat]

The Beast is vanquished.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Was it injury? Or was it just a case of being mentally shot having led his nation for pretty much his whole career?

33 is such a young age to retire.

Gun player, in any case. I know it's more to do with the team performance, but scoring 27 centuries and none of them in a defeat is such a ridiculous statistic.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Would people classify him as an ATG?

On the spur of the moment, I'm tending towards yes.

 

[Cabinet96]

Smith played 94% of his tests as captain. Must be a record?

 

[Daemon]

Smith played 94% of his tests as captain. Must be a record?

Thought Sammy would be close but he has to play another 90-100 tests for it to hit 94%

30/38 atm

 

[G.I.Joe]

Smith started captaining in his 8th Test as player IIRC. So he'd have the edge over Sammy by a single Test all the way until Sammy played his 117th Test.

 

[Daemon]

Sammy needs 134 Tests in total, 96 more as captain to hit 94%. I'm not sure what you're doing there Joe

 

[G.I.Joe]

You mentioned that Sammy has captained 30/38 Tests. I assumed he played his first 8 Tests as non-captain and has a 30 Test run as captain currently.

 

[G.I.Joe]

All it takes is a simple Bing search to clear my doubts, but I cbf to do even that

 

[Daemon]

Right, I thought you were adding to the whole %age discussion

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Smith is no Lee Germon.