Sometimes you just know a particular sporting moment will be remembered forever. The moment Graeme Smith walked out to bat at the SCG in January 2009 is one of them.
46-years ago, Englishman Colin Cowdrey trudged out against the West Indies with a broken wrist. But he was at the non-strikers end and didn’t have to face any deliveries.
This was different.
No one but Smith will know the pain it took to defend 17 balls with his left hand broken and his right arm numb from injections.
It says so much about his character that, having won the series, he still wanted to deny Australia any success. It also says so much about the sport of cricket, which is considered non-contact in theory but not in practice.
In the end, a wicked in-swinging delivery by Mitchell Johnson ended the inspirational innings of three runs.
As he walked out the Australian players must have been in awe.
A KFC poll asked the question: “Would you bat if you were Graeme Smith?,” to which the majority said “Yes.”
Of course they would go out and bat with a broken hand and a ball coming at over 140kph, with the very real possibility of being hit in the gloves again.
I can’t even run when I have blisters because it’s too sore. But maybe I’ll stop complaining now that I’ve witnessed Graeme Smith’s efforts.
It brought back memories of Steve Waugh in the 1997 Ashes series at Old Trafford where he scored two centuries in the match. In the second innings, he virtually batted with one hand because his right hand was badly bruised.
Then there are those other amazing stories you read about in sport.
I have the FIFA World Cup DVD box set that relives moments in World Cup history. One of them was the Czech goalkeeper Frantisek Planicka, who stayed on the field in 1938, despite breaking his arm!
One can only imagine how painful it was for him to even catch an innocuous ball that day, let alone attempt a save.
Now, there is another story to add to the list of tough, inspirational sporting moments.
Many batsmen have broken fingers over the years, but few are willing to put the team ahead of their own personal well-being.
Whatever Graeme Smith does for the rest of his career, the 7th January, 2009, will be remembered as the day he played one of the most unselfish innings ever seen.
RAJESH
Guest
not to forget ARGUNA RANATUNGA (Former srilanka's captain) batted with one hand to secure victory for srilanka against pakistan in 2000 tour..with over 40 runs to get he stood against the bowling of waqar and waseem & insure the victory with 2 wickts...amazing
B Johnson
Guest
What Graeme Smith efforts actualy did was to highlight the immense courage many cricketers over the decades have shown. As in life you have the people that will go that far for their team and the ones who won't. Hell, Andrew Symonds couldnt even pitch for practice! And not to menmtion Herchelle Gibbs. There are villians and heroes everywhere.
Mr Mac
Guest
Jaffa Was it the Centenary Test?
Jaffa
Guest
Grame Smith's effort was commendable, indeed admirable,but Rick McKosker's performance previously cited in this string was very courageous. His jaw was broken by a wicked delivery that reared off just short of a good length and so unplayable. Helmets were unheard of then, so his return to face more of the same once again with no padding/helmet at all was fortitude at its best.
Derryn
Guest
I was stuck at work so could only read text commentary but it Grame Smith's effort to come out and bat still brought goosebumps. Such a shame that he copped an unplayable ball (would have got any batsmen out) with only a few balls left to last. Ntini smashing Hauritz for two fours in the previous over was just rude, but only increased the tension. Some journo's were claiming the end of test cricket after Australia's poor showing in India. I'm just glad this series has again shown what a true test of ability, concentration and alertness the five game game is. Get rid of the Americanised mickey mouse pyjama cricket. Test cricket is where it is at.
Benjamin Conkey
Editor
Nick, you have raised a very interesting and valid point. I think Lee deserves praise and hero status for bowling with a broken leg. Such a gutsy effort. The reason it didn't get as much coverage was probably due to the fact he didn't know it was broken at the time, whearas with smith we knew his problem from the start that added to the drama of whether he would bat or not. Perhaps it also shows the difference between batsmen and bowlers. Bowlers are expected to fight through niggles and pain because they are generally always battling injury. Glenn McGrath's recent book talked about how Geoff Lawson used to keep bowling despite his boot being full of blood. Fast bowlers do deserve a lot more credit for what they put their bodies through. It is often a thankless job especially if the wickets aren't falling. Perhaps we appcreciate the heroics of batsmen more because we see them get hit compared to a bowler suffering internally.
Nick
Guest
Brett Lee bowled with a broken foot in Melbourne. Where are the 'Brett Lee is the bravest hero who ever lived' articles?
brad
Guest
almost as tough as buck shleford
B Johnson
Guest
I am getting goosebumps just reading about all of this! What will stay with me forever is the positive spirit this series was played in. It was tough, uncompromising and always went the full 5 days. The Bowling of Mitchell, Siddle and Steyn, batting of Smith, Ponting, Duminy and Clarke, the tails wagging and committed fielding made it a great spectacle between the 2 best teams on earth. Well done to all!
JimC
Guest
Alan Prescott - GB rugby league captain played 76 mins of the second test vs the Kangaroos in Brisbane in 1958 with a broken arm. There were no subs in those days. He tackled with his other arm. GB won by the way. http://www.eraofthebiff.com/p93a.html
Spiro Zavos
Expert
And Colin Cowdrey at Lord's 1963 against the West Indies when he came out to bat with England needing 6 runs to win in the final over after a run out. He had his arm in plaster but did not face a ball as David Allen blocked out the last two balls. Cowdrey could not have defended his wicket, it is presumed. And the closest precedent to Graeme Smith's amazing performance of batting for nearly 30 minutes with his damaged arm and broken bone in the other hand was Lionel Tennyson in an Ashes Test at Headingley in 1921. According to Cricinfo, Tennyson (The Honourable Lionel ) split the webbing of his hand while fielding and with a make-shift basket guard covering the injury batted with one hand against the pace of Jack Gregory and Ted McDonald (the Miller and Lindwall of their day), scoring 63 and 36.
Mr Mac
Guest
Amazing how people have forgotten Rick McCosker all bandaged with a Broken Jaw win a test in Melbourne - was it the Centenary Test?