Shaun Pollock gets the Spanish Archer

[London Dave]

Well, he's got the big A, looks like Boucher will probably get the job. Sometimes its hard to be continually compared to a dead man, especially one whose faults were overlooked after his death. Cronje wasn't that great a skipper in my book, but Pollock has payed the price for some ordinary cricket from the rest of his team. Ultijately, their lack of depth killed em.

[Fradam]

Pollock took over a side that when it comes to the crunch it crumbles. Now he's leaving the job as captain with them in the same position. I can't see anything in Mark Boucher that makes him a leader that can turn it around.

I'm with you Dave, I wasn't a fan of Cronje's captaincy. He never took risks and was very defencive. Pollock was the same. Boucher will be the same

[BJ]

Heard on the grapvien that Graeme Smith will be given the captaincy, unusual choice if it proves to be true.

[London Dave]

Fradam, I reckon the ultimate statement on Cronje's captaincy was ewhen Woolmer tried to put a radio in is ear to tell him what to do during a game. Kind of lets everyone know you ave no clue as a skipper. Pollock was always compared to Cronje, who was sanctified in SA after his death, to the point that in some quarters, Cronje was the greatest captain ever!

BJ, have heard that they are going to appoint Smith too. I'd suggest that would be a move reminiscent of the England captaincy shuffles thast took place whe nthey played the Windies in the 80's!

[Donny]

Graeme Smith to lead South Africa in Sharjah and Bangladesh
UCBSA Press Release - 16 March 2003

Graeme Smith, the 22 year-old Western Province left hander, will captain the South African national cricket squad on tours to Sharjah and Bangladesh later this month. Smith becomes the seventh player to captain South Africa since 1991.

The squad, announced in Cape Town today by UCBSA CEO Gerald Majola, sees several changes to the one that took part in the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Recalled to the senior squad are Western Province left arm spinner Paul Adams, his provincial teammates, left arm seamer Charl Willoughby and right arm seamer Allan Dawson, as well as Northern Titans batsmen Jacques Rudolph and Neil McKenzie.

Two players, Allan Donald and Jonty Rhodes have retired from all International cricket, whilst Gary Kirsten has retired from One Day International cricket.

[Donny]

"... seventh player to captain South Africa since 1991." ??

Maybe someone could remind me of the others.

[London Dave]

Kepelr Wessels...Hansie, and blokes who filled in for a test or to..Boucher.
I think Clive Rice and or Peter Kirsten may have done it early days or for a one dayer too.

[Donny]

Thanks, Dave. Yeah I thought Boucher might have done it once or twice and Peter Kirsten also came to mind.

[JLC]

Terrible decision. Pollock is the best fighter and most competitive player that team has.

Pollock is a very easy scape goat.

I think the blame should rest with the selectors who picked a tained squad.

jlc

[Donny]

You are joking, aren't you, m8?

Pollock should have gone after the 3 nil Test thrashing by the Australians. He definitely should have been replaced after the 6th. Test.

The 'we can't add up' loss to Sri Lanka rested squarely on Pollock's shoulders. He should have resigned immediately!

[JLC]

How can he be expected to be a good captain when the teams are tainted. South Africa rarely pick the best 11 players. They have to stick to their colour quota. How can any captain be efficient when the selection is compromised ?? He did a pretty good job in getting them to the number one ranked test nation in the world. Were the number two ranked one day team as well. Seemed to have been doing a pretty good to me.

Alan Donald being in the squad was a liability or a calculated risk at best that back fired severely. The back ups he had to call upon were chosen because of colour only and played in the token games.


Who is a better candidate than Pollock??

Jacques Kallis - Not at the moment as he is out of form severely.
Herschelle Gibba - A guy accused of cheating in cricket (unlikely)
Mark Boucher -Only other plausible candidate

Instead they throw a rookie into the firing line. Surely they should let Smith or whatever his name is establish his career first. It would be like Australia sacking Ponting and making Martin Love captain.

jlc

[Donny]

Here's a bit of info about 'whatever his name is' for you, m8.

Biography: Graeme Craig Smith
UCBSA Press Release - 16 March 2003

Graeme Craig Smith
Born on 1st February 1981.
Left Hand bat and Right Arm off spin bowler.

Educated at King Edward VII School in Johannesburg, Smith played for Gauteng Schools and SA Schools in 1998-99.

He made his First Class debut for a UCB Invitation XI against Griqualand West in Kimberley in the 1999/00 season, scoring 187, the second highest score on first class debut by a South African. He made his provincial limited over debut for Gauteng in the same season.

The following year he moved to Western Province where, in his first season he made 676 First Class runs at 42.25, including 183 in the Supersport Series final against Border.

In the 2000/01 season his total of 738 runs in the Standard Bank Cup competition placed him third on the all-time list for most runs in a domestic limited over season..

Smith's senior International debut came on the 8th March 2002 in the 2nd Test against Australia at Newlands, where he scored 68 in the second innings. His Limited Over International debut was three weeks later in the 4th ODI against the Australians in Bloemfontein when he made 41.

His maiden Test century came in October 2002 when he made 200 in the first Test against Bangladesh at Buffalo Park. He followed that up with 151 in the second test against Pakistan at Newlands in January this year.

He was run out on 99 in the 4th ODI against Sri Lanka at Centurion in December 2002.

Smith captained Western Province on a few occasions this season, and led the SA A team on a short tour to Zimbabwe last month.

Although not in the original squad for the ICC CWC, Smith came into the side as a replacement for the injured Jonty Rhodes.

His parents are Graham and Janet Smith and his brother Gavin is two years his junior.

Graeme Smith becomes the 31st player to captain South Africa and the 7th since 1991.


Tests: 8 Runs: 606 HS: 200 vs Bangladesh Ave: 55.09 2x100 2x50
ODIs: 22 Runs: 864 HS: 99 vs Sri Lanka Ave: 41.14 6x50

[JLC]

Is he good captaincy material though?? Will the players respect him??

Personally i wouldnt respect a player in his only 8th or 9th test match.

jlc

[Donny]

JLC, What's this tainted business? Please explain how it made things hard for Pollock to captain.

Who were the disappointments for SA in this WC? Kallis (failed with bat and ball), Dippenaar, Kirsten, Boucher and Pollock (all down on their batting form), Klusener (bungled the first game at the batting crease and bowled poorly in the others). All white blokes, aren't they.

Who did best? Batting: Gibbs. Bowling: Ntini. Both coloured.

It's the captain's job to get the best out of his players. Pollock had the chance to observe a master in this dept. when they were getting destroyed by Australia. He oserved, possibly he learned but he certainly failed to put any of it into action with his own team.

Donald was simply a bad selection. Past his use by and carrying an injury. After all, Haywood and McKenzie were available.

[JLC]

Well there had to be a certain quota of coloured players selected and the same applied for Australian tour and most of the other tours they have.

The best eleven should be picked irrespective of colour.

That creates disharmony in the team if you have members in the squad who you think are not worthy of a game. The player pick probably feels humbled as well.

jlc