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August 2, 2017, marks 14 years since Graeme Smith’s 259 at the Home of Cricket. This was in the second Test match against England, after making 277 in the first.
Smith became just the sixth man to score double hundreds in consecutive Test matches, and the third to score two 250s.
The South African also joined Don Bradman as the only batsman to top 600 runs in three consecutive innings. And he was 22 years old.
Smith’s strokeplay did not reflect his age. It was bullish, rugged… almost ugly at times. But it was incredibly effective. Off-stump balls would clatter through midwicket. The straight drive substituted the cover drive. As Peter Roebuck put it in 2008, “Mozart might as well be played on an electric guitar.”
Smith was no Mozart. In fact, he had only played international cricket for 16 months, but he was the new captain of South Africa, following Shaun Pollock’s 2003 World Cup debacle. And the Hansie Cronje scandal. And squad members smoking marijuana. And Lance Klusener’s near-lawsuit. And the retirements of Alan Donald and Jonty Rhodes.
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Smith was appointed as a leader, rather than a tactician. He had the confidence and inner self-belief to lead the team from the front. His confidence came across as arrogance in the public eye. Who did this kid think he was? He barbed with players on and off the pitch, some of them on the other side of the world.
At Lord’s, James Anderson and Nasser Hussain were the main combatants. Anderson threw a return ball at Gary Kirsten. The South African captain stood up for his partner; the former England captain stood up for this.
Before the first Test when Nasser was still captain, he spoke a lot about South Africa’s problems. When asked about Smith, he replied, “What’s his name?”
Unfortunately, Nasser dropped what’s-his-name on 8 at Lord’s, and the new captain plundered 251 more runs for good measure. In all fairness to Nasser though, he applauded his counterpart when he brought up his double century.
Smith’s batting feats in 2003 are a nice reminder that everyone (eventually) has to shut up and play.
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