Henry Blofeld: Smith shows outstanding maturity on and off field
South Africa's humble captain puts aside personal disappointment for good of team in fifth Test
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Your support makes all the difference.Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, has been the outstanding player of the summer. His run scoring has been phenomenal, with double centuries in each of the first two Tests against England, even if he has not been able to maintain that extraordinary progress. He has been no less impressive as a captain and as a man.
He has conducted himself with astonishing maturity for a 22-year-old, be it taking press conferences, marshalling his troops in the field or looking after them off it. South Africa are indeed lucky to have found such a captain and their selectors deserve the praise for spotting him.
South Africa needed only a draw to make sure of this series coming into the fifth Test with a 2-1 lead. One thing is certain: Smith will have gone into this last match interested only in winning and taking home a 3-1 margin of victory.
He is a young man, too, who has at all times been in control of his emotions - except perhaps when acknowledging the applause for a double century, but we can forgive him that - which was very noticeable on this first day here. His heart must have leapt when he won the toss, yet it did not show.
After a couple of overs on a flat, true Oval pitch - and they don't come much flatter and slower - he must have fancied making another huge personal score, but, on 18, Herschelle Gibbs's late call for a single left him with too much to do and he was run out.
While waiting for the third umpire's verdict, and clearly knowing he was out, he talked long and hard to Gibbs, instructing him not to worry and to go on and make a big one - precisely what he did. When Smith reached the bottom of the pavilion steps on the way back, he waited for the next batsman, Gary Kirsten, to come all the way down and then spoke quickly to him.
Kirsten would have been told the same and he duly hit a fine innings of 90. Smith then walked up the steps without giving the slightest indication that he had missed out on an absolute belter. When Gibbs reached his hundred, Smith led his players onto the balcony to lead the applause. He is generous, unselfish to a point, humble and a terrific human being who is a great credit to the game.
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