SMITH RETIRES

Australia lost 6 of their top top players in the space of 2 years. Kallis, Smith and next will be Steyn. Very difficult to replace them

Look at all other nations, captains and coaches come and go, except Graeme.
He has most certainly stood the test of time, longest serving test captain.
He has juggled players ego's, the pressure, criticism and above all the politics.
Hats off to the best test captain the world has ever seen.

For a moment I thought it was Gavin Smith retiring!

Why retire in the middle of a match? This has, judging by the body language of the players, a negative effect. Lets hope that when they bat it will be a different story as SA can still win this even if the Aussies set over 400

I just cannot see us batting for 4 sessions unfortunately.

Not a single trophy ....I have to agree.

now that would be a loss

Maybe Marathon man FAF to succeed him ???

How about Amla ??

gregbucks Wrote:

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> How about Amla ??


It must be between him De Villiers and Faf. No one else in the current test squad I could think of.

shrek Wrote:

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> gregbucks Wrote:
>

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>

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> > How about Amla ??
>
>
> It must be between him De Villiers and Faf. No one
> else in the current test squad I could think of.

yip...

Smith retiring was him going on his own terms...been likely for some time even though I didn't expect it so soon...thought he would hang on for another year...

The length of careers (not always deservedly so) that current players have is a big factor in the records they put up...I don't assume that past greats would have compiled better or worse records as that would require assumptions about changes in equipment, fielding, size of grounds, bowling and how those past greats would have reacted to these things...

I find it funny when comparisons between generations are made...the claim that Bradman was the greatest is based on his pure statistics...but, he only played in England and Aus, 52 of his 80 test innings were against England, etc, etc...we cannot project the past onto the future with any accuracy...what I will grant is that he was the best of that generation just like Lara was the best in the post Richards era...

So, despite my criticism of Smith of late, mainly due to his seeming indifference, he made a contribution...at times, especially earlier in his captaincy, he let his ego get the better of him but he mellowed as his insecurities subsided...and he delivered on many a big occasion with the result that we won matches we shouldn't...that is his legacy...