Unprecedented Century

I was in two minds about blogging about the key players in the Pakistan team on tour in South Africa, or blogging about this. In the end, as a patriotic South African, and a huge Proteas fan (in case you haven't noticed yet), it had to be Graeme Smith's 100th test match as captain, a mark that no one has yet achieved in the history of cricket.

He is the most experienced test captain. On Friday 1 Feb 2013, day one of the first of three test matches, and provided everything goes well until then, Graeme Smith will captain his 100th test match on his 32nd birthday.

A giant jersey was made for Smith showing all the tests he has captained. Fans also got to write messages on it for him. Picture taken from http://www.sport24.co.za

It goes without saying that the captain has done very great things for South Africa. He's led from the front. He became the youngest South African captain when he took over from Shaun Pollock in April 2003. He was 22 and had only played 8 tests before then. The results were slow to come but in his third and fourth tests as captain he scored double hundreds. 277 at Edgbaston and 259 at Lords to draw the five test match series against England. 

When he does well, the Proteas usually do well. He symbolizes South African determination and a never say die attitude. He made 90 against Australia in the 438 game in 2006. Who can forget when he went out to bat  at number 11 against Australia with a broken hand, trying to save a redundant 3rd and final test match in 2009 at the SCG? A story about that can be read here http://www.espncricinfo.com/ausvrsa2008_09/content/story/385632.html. 

Thank you for serving SA cricket and fans so well Grame Smith. Please continue.

His Batting and fielding averages from espncricinfo.com

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	107	187	12	8624	277	49.28	14453	59.66	26	36	1094	23	152	0
ODIs	189	186	10	6887	141	39.13	8468	81.32	10	47	780	43	100	0
T20Is	33	33	2	982	89*	31.67	770	127.53	0	5	123	26	18	0
First-class	147	253	17	11892	311	50.38			35	47			210	0
List A	250	244	15	9155	141	39.97			14	66			130	0
Twenty20	81	81	6	2282	105	30.42	1847	123.55	1	11	281	49	35	0

He has captained in 47 test victories. Right now (at 99 tests as captain) he's won 47.47% of his tests as captain. I suspect that those numbers will rise.

Image taken from http://www.livemint.com