Keeping it in the family
Blessed with a loose-limbed effortlessness that adds elegance to anything he does, Shaun Pollock glides through his aesthetically soothing action with silky deception and wields a bat as if he were adding a flourish to an autograph
Telford Vice
04-Jan-2007
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Blessed with a loose-limbed effortlessness that adds elegance to anything he does, Shaun Pollock glides through his aesthetically soothing action with silky deception and wields a bat as if he were adding a flourish to an autograph. Pollock has never possessed express pace, and the fact that he seemed able to hit batmen on the helmet at will early in his career had everything to do with his uncanny accuracy. These days he prefers simply to dismiss batsmen as efficiently as possible. His bowling discipline gives way to flare when he strides out to bat, a sight that should invariably be accompanied by a drumroll.
Achievements
Pollock deserved better than to have to celebrate becoming the first South African to take 400 Test wickets during his team's first ever home defeat by India at the Wanderers in December, 2006. He is the only South African Test cricketer with more than 3000 runs and 300 wickets to his credit. As South Africa's captain, Pollock presided over Test series wins against Bangladesh (with Mark Boucher's help), India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (twice, with another rubber drawn), West Indies and Zimbabwe. His only lost series as captain was the 3-0 hiding from Australia in 2001-02. South Africa won 14 of the 26 Tests they played under Pollock's leadership and lost just five. That gives him a better won-lost ratio than either Hansie Cronje (captained 53, won 27, lost 11 - legitimately we hope) or, at the time of writing after the first Test against India in 2006-07, Graeme Smith (40, 15, 13).
Pollock deserved better than to have to celebrate becoming the first South African to take 400 Test wickets during his team's first ever home defeat by India at the Wanderers in December, 2006. He is the only South African Test cricketer with more than 3000 runs and 300 wickets to his credit. As South Africa's captain, Pollock presided over Test series wins against Bangladesh (with Mark Boucher's help), India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (twice, with another rubber drawn), West Indies and Zimbabwe. His only lost series as captain was the 3-0 hiding from Australia in 2001-02. South Africa won 14 of the 26 Tests they played under Pollock's leadership and lost just five. That gives him a better won-lost ratio than either Hansie Cronje (captained 53, won 27, lost 11 - legitimately we hope) or, at the time of writing after the first Test against India in 2006-07, Graeme Smith (40, 15, 13).
What makes him special
His genes would seem a good place to start. Someone who calls Peter Pollock dad and Graeme Pollock uncle should, at the least, be able to keep the seam upright and hold a bat. Sadly, as the progeny of legendary players everywhere can attest, that ain't necessarily so. Perhaps what really makes Pollock special is that he has forged his way into the limelight on his own terms despite the shadows cast by his illustrious forebearers. Pollock oozes pure talent and is fuelled by an inner confidence that has yet to let him down. He does not have Boucher's brashness nor Graeme Smith's emphatic nature. But he has class, loads of it, and humility to keep it real.
His genes would seem a good place to start. Someone who calls Peter Pollock dad and Graeme Pollock uncle should, at the least, be able to keep the seam upright and hold a bat. Sadly, as the progeny of legendary players everywhere can attest, that ain't necessarily so. Perhaps what really makes Pollock special is that he has forged his way into the limelight on his own terms despite the shadows cast by his illustrious forebearers. Pollock oozes pure talent and is fuelled by an inner confidence that has yet to let him down. He does not have Boucher's brashness nor Graeme Smith's emphatic nature. But he has class, loads of it, and humility to keep it real.
Finest hour
'Twas the night before the third Test against Australia in Adelaide in 1998, and all around South Africa fearful cricket folk shuddered at the thought of an attack robbed of the injured Allan Donald. Would the callow Pollock, then just 15 matches into his Test career, rise to the challenge? All questions were answered when he bowled 71.4 overs in the match and took nine wickets. Australia clung to a draw with seven wickets down and with it they claimed a 1-0 series victory. But history might have unfolded differently had Mark Waugh not somehow survived being given out when he smashed his stumps after being struck on the elbow by one of those nastily accurate Pollock bouncers in the seventh of the final 15 overs. Waugh was 107 not out and he went on to an undefeated 115. In fact, Pollock would have had him for 96 had Adam Bacher at short leg held a difficult chance.
'Twas the night before the third Test against Australia in Adelaide in 1998, and all around South Africa fearful cricket folk shuddered at the thought of an attack robbed of the injured Allan Donald. Would the callow Pollock, then just 15 matches into his Test career, rise to the challenge? All questions were answered when he bowled 71.4 overs in the match and took nine wickets. Australia clung to a draw with seven wickets down and with it they claimed a 1-0 series victory. But history might have unfolded differently had Mark Waugh not somehow survived being given out when he smashed his stumps after being struck on the elbow by one of those nastily accurate Pollock bouncers in the seventh of the final 15 overs. Waugh was 107 not out and he went on to an undefeated 115. In fact, Pollock would have had him for 96 had Adam Bacher at short leg held a difficult chance.
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Achilles' Heel
The pedants have always harboured a suspicion that Pollock regards batting as a bit of a lark, a diversion to take his mind off a hard day's bowling. Certainly, he doesn't seem to place as high a value on his wicket as Jacques Kallis or Kepler Wessels. Perhaps it's the obvious truth that he enjoys batting that alarms some people, or that he hits the ball straight and sweet when others would seek survival. Pollock's Test batting average has been known to soar, but it is doubtful whether he will have escaped the merely respectable 30s at the end of his career. Similarly, it would come as a pleasant surprise were he to add, against anyone other than the ramshackle likes of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, to his two centuries.
The pedants have always harboured a suspicion that Pollock regards batting as a bit of a lark, a diversion to take his mind off a hard day's bowling. Certainly, he doesn't seem to place as high a value on his wicket as Jacques Kallis or Kepler Wessels. Perhaps it's the obvious truth that he enjoys batting that alarms some people, or that he hits the ball straight and sweet when others would seek survival. Pollock's Test batting average has been known to soar, but it is doubtful whether he will have escaped the merely respectable 30s at the end of his career. Similarly, it would come as a pleasant surprise were he to add, against anyone other than the ramshackle likes of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, to his two centuries.
How history views him
If you're a woman, Pollock is the man your parents always wanted you to bring home. If you're a bloke, he's the mate your parents were always hoping you would spend more time with. Invariably polite and sunnily dispositioned, Pollock is the epitome of the well-raised, well-spoken, well-mannered, young man. So much so that his press conferences when he was South Africa's captain were masterpieces of inoffensiveness. He returns reporters' telephone calls, for goodness' sake. He fairly reeks of decency. But it's not all boring. Consider this alleged exchange between Pollock and Andy Flower in a one-day international: Pollock edged a delivery thinly enough for his error to be known only by himself and wicketkeeper Flower, who was standing up to the stumps and took the catch. Pollock stood his ground and was given not out. "Honestly, Polly," said Flower, "and I thought you were a Christian!" As he nonchalantly prodded the pitch, Pollock replied: "Ah yes. But in the eyes of the Lord we're all sinners." He will be remembered as an intelligent bowler who didn't need vicious pace to take wickets, as a free-spirited batsman, a thoughtful though not overtly inspirational captain, and as the man who stepped into the breach when Cronje's crookery was discovered.
If you're a woman, Pollock is the man your parents always wanted you to bring home. If you're a bloke, he's the mate your parents were always hoping you would spend more time with. Invariably polite and sunnily dispositioned, Pollock is the epitome of the well-raised, well-spoken, well-mannered, young man. So much so that his press conferences when he was South Africa's captain were masterpieces of inoffensiveness. He returns reporters' telephone calls, for goodness' sake. He fairly reeks of decency. But it's not all boring. Consider this alleged exchange between Pollock and Andy Flower in a one-day international: Pollock edged a delivery thinly enough for his error to be known only by himself and wicketkeeper Flower, who was standing up to the stumps and took the catch. Pollock stood his ground and was given not out. "Honestly, Polly," said Flower, "and I thought you were a Christian!" As he nonchalantly prodded the pitch, Pollock replied: "Ah yes. But in the eyes of the Lord we're all sinners." He will be remembered as an intelligent bowler who didn't need vicious pace to take wickets, as a free-spirited batsman, a thoughtful though not overtly inspirational captain, and as the man who stepped into the breach when Cronje's crookery was discovered.
Life after cricket
Pollock will land on his feet. Not for him the desperation of trying to cling to and embellish his fame in the commentary booth, or venturing into umpiring or coaching. Indications are that he will not look to stay in the game at all. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and, although he is as yet undecided as to where the future might take him, his destination will be in the real world. No-one should be surprised if they pick up some blue-chip company's annual report in a few years' time and discover that one SM Pollock is a senior staff member on track to secure a seat on the board. For now, though, he's still trying to balance being a husband and father with the demands of his cricket career. It's a tough job, but he's doing just fine.
Pollock will land on his feet. Not for him the desperation of trying to cling to and embellish his fame in the commentary booth, or venturing into umpiring or coaching. Indications are that he will not look to stay in the game at all. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and, although he is as yet undecided as to where the future might take him, his destination will be in the real world. No-one should be surprised if they pick up some blue-chip company's annual report in a few years' time and discover that one SM Pollock is a senior staff member on track to secure a seat on the board. For now, though, he's still trying to balance being a husband and father with the demands of his cricket career. It's a tough job, but he's doing just fine.