Graeme Smith      

Full name Graeme Craig Smith

Born February 1, 1981, Johannesburg, Transvaal

Current age 28 years 295 days

Major teams South Africa, Africa XI, Cape Cobras, Gauteng, Hampshire Cricket Board, ICC World XI, Rajasthan Royals, Somerset, Western Province

Playing role Opening batsman

Batting style Left-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

When people look back at Graeme Smith's career, what will likely come to mind is his role in turning South Africa from perennial chokers into a world-beating unit. For too long had South Africa been weighed down by expectation, an inability to complete wins that really mattered - that record-breaking 434 chase in Johannesburg seemed but a rare blip on the radar, despite Smith's comments just afterwards - and the seemingly inherent failure to truly bully top-class opposition, especially Australia.

"It's got to be the best," Smith said when asked where 2008 ranked in the history of South African cricket. He knew it, too. When South Africa touched down in Australia, it was with the confidence of a strong outfit that had not lost a series since they visited Sri Lanka in 2006. In 2008, they beat England in England and kept India to a drawn series in India. It was during that two-year run that Smith emerged a much improved captain, and the historic tour Down Under has so far been the pinnacle of Smith's career. It was truly a special effort, because South Africa became the first team in 16 years to beat Australia on home soil.

For the men who first put faith in a 22-year-old Smith, it would have been very sweet. In March 2003, Smith became South Africa's youngest-ever captain, when he took over from Shaun Pollock following the disastrous World Cup campaign. He had few leadership qualities - and barely a handful of internationals under his belt - but for a nation eager for a fresh start after the disasters of the Hansie Cronje affair, Smith was clearly made of the right stuff. The selectors' faith was amply justified on South Africa's tour of England in 2003, when Smith scored back-to-back Test double-centuries - a national-record 277 at Edgbaston, and a match-winning 259 at Lord's - to put his side in firm command of the five-Test series.

Smith had quickly settled in at the highest level but woke up to the harsh life of international cricket with a jolt in 2004. South Africa lost Test series to India and Sri Lanka and 11 ODIs out of 12 in a row, and Smith was subjected to some wily mind games from Stephen Fleming in Auckland. He continued to score runs, not least against West Indies in 2005, when he piled on three consecutive hundreds, and became the first captain since 1977 to finish a Caribbean tour without losing a game.

A bittersweet first World Cup as captained followed, where Smith made 443 runs but South Africa were brutally hammered by eventual winners Australia. Yet South Africa gathered steam in Test cricket, and under Smith ended a 43-year hiatus with their first series win in England since the end of apartheid. Smith's biggest triumph, though, came a few months later.
Jamie Alter December 2008

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2004

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Nov 22, 2009

Graeme Smith made just 12 before edging to slip

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Nov 22, 2009

Graeme Smith falls to Tim Bresnan as England start well at Centurion

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Nov 15, 2009

Graeme Smith's half-century came from 25 balls, as he and Loots Bosman ran riot

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