Graeme Smith

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Graeme Smith

---

country = South Africa
fullname = Graeme Craig Smith
nickname = Biff [cite web|url=http://www.cricket.co.za/default.asp?cId=9466&cl=yes| title= Graeme Smith profile|accessdate = 2008-04-16| publisher=Cricket South Africa]
living = true
dayofbirth = 1
monthofbirth = 2
yearofbirth = 1981
placeofbirth = Johannesburg, Gauteng
countryofbirth = South Africa
heightft =
heightinch =
batting = Left-handed
bowling = Right arm off break
role = Batsman
international = true
testdebutdate = 8 March
testdebutyear = 2002
testdebutagainst = Australia
testc

lasttestdate = 7 August
lasttestyear = 2008
lasttestagainst = England
odidebutdate = 30 March
odidebutyear = 2002
odidebutagainst = Australia
odic

lastodidate = 26 August
lastodiyear = 2008
lastodiagainst = England
odishirt = 15
club1 = Gauteng
year1 = 1990/2000
clubnumber1 =
club2 = Western Province
year2 = 2000/01-2003/04
clubnumber2 =
club3 = Cape Cobras
year3 = 2004/05-2006/07
clubnumber3 =
club4 = Somerset
year4 = 2005
clubnumber4 =
club5 = Rajasthan Royals
year5 = 2008-
clubnumber5 = 15
club6 =
year6 =
clubnumber6 =
club7 =
year7 =
clubnumber7 =
club8 =
year8 =
clubnumber8 =
deliveries = balls
columns = 4
column1 = Tests
matches1 = 70
runs1 = 5,761
bat avg1 = 49.23
100s/50s1 = 16/22
top score1 = 277
deliveries1 = 1,319
wickets1 = 8
bowl avg1 = 100.12
fivefor1 = 0
tenfor1 = 0
best bowling1 = 2/145
catches/stumpings1 = 92/–
column2 = FC
matches2 = 107
runs2 = 8,712
bat avg2 = 50.06
100s/50s2 = 24/32
top score2 = 311
deliveries2 = 1,687
wickets2 = 11
bowl avg2 = 95.27
fivefor2 = 0
tenfor2 = 0
best bowling2 = 2/145
catches/stumpings2 = 147/–
column3 = ODIs
matches3 = 135
runs3 = 5,046
bat avg3 = 40.69
100s/50s3 = 7/36
top score3 = 134*
deliveries3 = 1,026
wickets3 = 18
bowl avg3 = 52.83
fivefor3 = 0
tenfor3 = n/a
best bowling3 = 3/30
catches/stumpings3 = 71/–
column4 = LA
matches4 = 188
runs4 = 7,258
bat avg4 = 42.44
100s/50s4 = 11/55
top score4 = 134*
deliveries4 = 1,968
wickets4 = 47
bowl avg4 = 38.21
fivefor4 = 0
tenfor4 = n/a
best bowling4 = 3/30
catches/stumpings4 = 98/–
date = 20 September
year = 2008
source = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10283/10283.html CricketArchive

Graeme Craig Smith (born 1 February 1981 in Johannesburg) is a South African cricketer, and the current captain of the South African cricket team, having succeeded Shaun Pollock after the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

A tall, left-handed opening batsman, on the 2003 South African tour of England he made double centuries in consecutive Test matches: [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/SouthAfrica/Tests/Highest_Player_Scores_SouthAfrica.html | title=Individual Scores of 200 and More in an Innings for South Africa in Test Cricket |date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket archive] 277 at Edgbaston, [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/77/77574.html| title=Scorecard|date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket archive] and 259 at Lord's. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/77/77623.html| title= Scorecard|date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricket archive] The 277 is the highest individual innings ever made for South Africa, and the 259 is the highest score ever made at Lord's by a foreign player. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_innings.html?class=1;id=10;type=ground| title= Lord's, London - Test matches |date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo]

Known for the success of his opening partnership with Herschelle Gibbs, South Africa's most prolific ever opening partnership, Smith has the distinction of having been part of all four of South Africa's opening partnerships of over 300 runs: [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/fow/highest_partnerships_for_any_wicket.html?class=1;id=3;type=team| title= South Africa Highest Test Partnerships |date=2008-06-25 | publisher=Cricinfo] in three of them he was partnered by Gibbs, and in 2008 Smith added 415 for the first wicket with Neil McKenzie against Bangladesh, a world record opening partnership.

Early years

Born and raised in Johannesburg, Smith was educated at King Edward VII School.

Smith played three Under-19s tests [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10283/Youth_Test_Matches.| title=Youth Test Matches played by Graeme Smith|accessdate = 2008-11-08 | publisher=Cricket archive] and seven one day internationals for South Africa Under-19s, [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10283/Youth_One-Day_International_Matches.html| title=Youth ODI Matches played by Graeme Smith|accessdate = 2008-11-08 | publisher=Cricket archive] of which five were during the Under 19 Cricket World Cup. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results2.cgi?playernumber=10283&playername=gc%20smith&playernameexact=&displayplayername=GC%20Smith&team=&teamexact=&opponent=&opponentexact=&captain=&wicketkeeper=&homeawaytype=All&matchtype=All&resulttype=All&startseason=&endseason=&searchtype=MatchList&startscore=&endscore=&startwicket=&endwicket=&branding=cricketarchive| title=Matches played by Graeme Smith|accessdate = 2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket archive] He scored one fifty in the test matches, but scored five half-centuries in the one dayers. Smith was also awarded the South African Cricketer of the Year award for his performances in the 2001–02 South Africian cricket season. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/121997.html| title=South African Cricketers of the Year named|accessdate = 2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo]

Domestic career

Graeme Smith has played for a number of cricket teams in South Africa. He currently plays for Western Province cricket team but due to his international commitments, his appearances for them have been limited, his last game for them being on October 28, 2004. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10283/First-Class_Matches.html7| title=First-Class Matches played by Graeme Smith|accessdate = 2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket Archive] In total he has played 17 games for Western Province scoring 1,312 runs with four centuries at an average of 46.85. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/10/10283/f_Batting_by_Team.html| title=First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Graeme Smith|accessdate = 2008-04-16| publisher=Cricket Archive] He has also played for other teams in South Africa including United Cricket Board of South Africa Invitation XI and Western Province Boland.

He has also played county cricket for Somerset in the 2005 English cricket season, captaining the club for part of the 2005 season, and he scored a century in a tour match against the Australians in preparation for the 2005 Ashes series. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/82/82631.html| title=Scorecard | date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket Archive] Against Leicestershire at Taunton he scored his maiden first-class triple hundred (311 off 255 balls). [cite web|url= http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/82/82929.html| title= Scorecard| date=2008-04-16 | publisher= Cricket Archive] He also hit 105 in the Twenty20 Cup match against Northamptonshire, [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/82/82839.html| title=Scorecard| date=2005-02-07 | publisher=Cricket Archive] which is currently the 11th highest score in the domestic Twenty20 Cup competition. Smith also captained the team to victory on finals day to secure the Twenty20 Cup trophy, making 64 not out from 47 balls in the final. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83166.html| title=Scorecard| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricket Archive]

In 2008 Graeme Smith played in the inaugural Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals. His opening partnership with Swapnil Asnodkar achieved significant success.

International career

Smith made his Test debut for South Africa in 2002 in Cape Town against Australia, batting at number three and scoring 68 in the second innings. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/74/74245.html| title=Scorecard|accessdate = 2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket archive] Promoted to open the batting with Herschelle Gibbs against Bangladesh in his third Test match, Smith scored 200. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64007.html| title=Scorecard|accessdate = 2008-06-22 | publisher=Cricket archive] In the following home series against Pakistan, Smith (who scored 151) and Gibbs (228) shared a first-wicket stand of 368, [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/64023.html| title=Scorecard. Example one of 300 plus stand| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] a national record until bettered by Smith and Neil McKenzie's 415, and at the time the fourth highest opening partnership in Test history. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283611.html| title=Highest Partnerships in Tests for the First Wicket| date=2008-06-25 | publisher=Cricinfo] Following the 2003 Cricket World Cup and Shaun Pollock's subsequent resignation, Smith was selected as captain for South Africa's next Test. The decision was criticised as it was felt that he had shown 'few leadership credentials': [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/player/47270.html| title=Profile of Graeme Smith| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo] he had played only eight Test matches and 22 ODIs before being given the captaincy. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/130467.html| title=Biography: Graeme Craig Smith| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo] Graeme Smith was only 22 years and 82 days old when he captained his first match against Bangladesh, the youngest ever South African captain. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/130483.html| title=Graeme Smith will become South Africas youngest captain| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo]

During the tour of England in 2003 he made double centuries in consecutive test matches: [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/SouthAfrica/Tests/Highest_Player_Scores_SouthAfrica.html | title=Individual Scores of 200 and More in an Innings for South Africa in Test Cricket |date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket archive] 277 (and 85 from 70 balls in the second innings) in the first Test at Edgbaston, [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/77/77574.html| title=Scorecard|date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricket archive] and 259 in an innings victory in the second Test at Lord's. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/77/77623.html| title= Scorecard|date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricket archive] His 277 remains the highest individual Test innings scored by a South African, surpassing the previous record of 275 held jointly by Darryl Cullinan and Gary Kirsten [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_innings.html?class=1;id=3;type=team| title=South Africa Test High Scores|date=2008-06-22 | publisher=Cricket archive] ; his 259 remains the highest score made at Lord's by a foreign player, breaking the record of 254 set by Sir Donald Bradman in 1930. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_innings.html?class=1;id=10;type=ground| title= Lord's, London - Test matches |date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] These performances prompted Alec Stewart to call him "the most impressive 22-year-old I have seen in cricket" [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/eng_v_sa_2003/3090786.stm| title=Vaughan applauds England effort| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=BBC Sport] ; the Edgbaston match prompted Nasser Hussain to retire as captain of England, to be succeeded by Michael Vaughan. This outstanding run of form could have continued but for an unusual dismissal: in the third Test at Trent Bridge Smith, on 35, played back to Andrew Flintoff and trod on his stumps to be dismissed hit wicket. Smith did not pass 20 again in the series as a galvanised England led by Vaughan won the match and fought back to draw the series 2–2, but Smith nonetheless finished the series with an aggregate of 714 runs at an average of 79.33, [http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/47270.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting;view=series| title= GC Smith series batting averages |date=2008-06-22 | publisher=Cricinfo] and was named player of the series (jointly with Flintoff).

During the year 2004 South Africa had a significantly less successful run in ODI cricket than they would have expected, with a 5–1 series loss to New Zealand and a 5–0 series loss to Sri Lanka. They had beaten the West Indies 3–1 earlier in the year, but South African cricket was described as being in a state of 'freefall'. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/series_results.html?class=2;id=2004;team=3;type=year| title=2004 South Africa - One-Day Internationals| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo] [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/143069.html| title=South Africa - a team in freefall| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo] In Test matches also South Africa suffered a poor run with series losses to England, India and Sri Lanka. They did nevertheless win a home Test series against the West Indies (with Smith and Gibbs sharing their third 300-run opening partnership [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64066.html| title=Scorecard| date=2008-06-25| publisher=cricinfo] ).

Although initially regarded as an inexperienced captain, his growth in the role was evidenced when he was selected to captain the ICC World XI in the ICC Super Series Test Match between the ICC World XI and Australia in October 2005. [cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/83/83839.html| title=Scorecard| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricket archive]

South Africa won a Test series in the West Indies in 2005, with Smith scoring centuries in three consecutive Tests: 148 at the Queen's Park Oval, 104 at the Kensington Oval and 126 at Antigua. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/47270.html?class=1;series=522;template=results;type=batting;view=innings| title=GC Smith: South Africa in West Indies 2005, Innings List | date=2008-06-22| publisher=Cricinfo] However, their tour of Australia, and Australia's subsequent return tour in the 2005–06 season were disappointments for Smith, as they succumbed to a 2–0 defeat in Australia, [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/series_results.html?class=1;id=2;id=3;type=headtohead| title=Australia v South Africa - Test matches| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo] and a 3–0 whitewash at home. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/series_results.html?class=1;id=2;id=3;type=headtohead| title=Australia v South Africa - Test matches| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo] Pride was restored when Smith led his team to victory in South Africa's win over Australia in a One Day International at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on March 12, 2006. Australia set South Africa a world record 434–4 from 50 overs, which was successfully chased by South Africa who reached 438–9 with a ball to spare. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/rsavaus/content/story/240507.html| title=South Africa win the greatest match of all| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] Smith scored 90 runs off 55 balls in the chase, and shared in a second wicket partnership of 187 runs with Herschelle Gibbs. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/rsavaus/content/story/240507.html| title=South Africa win the greatest match of all| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] The result gave South Africa in a 3–2 series victory over the Australians. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/series_results.html?class=2;id=2;id=3;type=headtohead| title=Australia v South Africa - One-Day Internationals| date=2008-04-16| publisher=Cricinfo]

In the first ODI against Pakistan on February 4, 2007, Smith hit an over bowled by Naved-ul-Hasan for 27 runs, and became the first player in ODI history to hit six fours off an over; [cite web|url=http://www1.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BATTING/ODI_BAT_MOST_RUNS_OVER.html| title=Most Runs in an Over| date= 2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] Smith scored 72 from 47 balls as South Africa totalled 392–6, the highest ODI total ever made against a Test nation (excluding Zimbabwe) apart from the two innings of the aforementioned Wanderers match between Australia and South Africa. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/211599.html| title=Highest ODI Innings Totals| date= 2008-06-22 | publisher=Cricinfo] As captain he led the South African cricket team through 20 consecutive undefeated matches in One Day Internationals in 2005. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/126875.html| title= Most consecutive matches without defeat| date= 2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] In early 2007 Smith's South Africans replaced Australia on top of the official ICC rankings for ODI cricket [cite web|url=http://content- uk.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/281932.html|title=South Africa handed one-day trophy| date= 2008-04-16|publisher=Cricinfo] but returned to second place after mixed results in the 2007 ICC World Cup thus far after losing to Australia by eight wickets. In the 2007 World Cup he started the tournament with four successive 50s, a feat never before achieved by a captain. [cite web|url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/287713.html| title=Full length, full reward| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo]

During the second Test against Bangladesh at Chittagong in begun on February 29, 2008 Smith (who scored 232) and Neil McKenzie (226) put on a world record 415 for the first wicket. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283611.html| title=Highest partnership for the first wicket| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] The partnership beat the previous first-wicket record of 413 which had been set in 1956 by Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy. They had finished day one with 405 runs on the board which was the most ever put on by a pair in a single day of Test cricket without losing a wicket. [cite web|url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/bdeshvrsa/content/current/story/340427.html| title=South Africa's batsmen continue merry-making in Chittagong| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] The partnership was Smith's fourth opening partnership of over 300 runs, and his sixth of over 200 runs, both Test records. [cite web|url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283611.html| title=Highest Test Partnerships for the First Wicket| date=2008-06-26 | publisher=Cricinfo]

In scoring 108 in the second innings of the first Test against England at Lord's in 2008, Smith participated in a seventh double-century opening partnership, again in conjunction with McKenzie, as South Africa fought to draw a Test which appeared lost. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/engvrsa/engine/current/match/296909.html| title=England v South Africa at Lord's, 2008| date=2008-08-02 | publisher=Cricinfo] He also scored a second-innings 154 not out in the third Test at Edgbaston, to lead South Africa to a challenging target of 281, and with it South Africa's first series victory in England since 1965. [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/engvrsa/engine/current/match/296911.html| title=England v South Africa at Edgbaston, 2008| date=2008-08-02 | publisher=Cricinfo] The result provided Smith with personal vengeance against Michael Vaughan for denying South Africa a series victory in England in 2003 and defeating South Africa at home in 2004–5; Vaughan resigned as captain of England after the Edgbaston match, in an echo of Nasser Hussain's resignation at the instigation of Smith's batting five years earlier.

Personality and controversies

Smith was once accused by West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo of racial abuse, but was cleared of those allegations. [cite web|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/wivsa/content/story/208733.html| title=Hinds fined, but Smith in the clear| date=2005-05-05 | publisher=Cricinfo] He has however, been punished several times by the International Cricket Council for various infringements, mostly for dissent and slow over rates. [cite web|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/289342.html| title=South Africa fined for slow over-rate| date=2007-04-07 | publisher=Cricinfo] [cite web|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/241288.html| title=Smith fined for dissent| date=2006-03-19 | publisher=Cricinfo] [cite web|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/209285.html| title=Smith banned for four matches| date=2005-05-13 | publisher=Cricinfo]

He has had a difficult relationship with South African-born English batsman (and now captain) Kevin Pietersen. Graeme Smith once said "I'm patriotic about my country, and that's why I don't like Kevin Pietersen". [cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/258408.html| title=Graeme Smith slams Pietersen| date=2008-04-16 | publisher=Cricinfo] This refers to Pietersen who was brought up in South Africa leaving there to join England. Pietersen has described Graeme Smith as an "absolute muppet" in his book "Crossing the Boundary". [cite web|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/story/258408.html| title=Graeme Smith slams Pietersen| date=2006-09-02 | publisher=Cricinfo]

Smith has also had problems with the former England Test captain Michael Vaughan during the 2004–05 England tour of South Africa over a dispute concerning bad light during the 4th test in Smith's native Johannesburg. In Vaughan's second book "Calling the Shots" Vaughan refers to Smith as "the witness". Vaughan lost his entire match fee for the match after the dispute. [cite web|url=http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/145302.html| title=Vaughan fined his full match fee| date=2005-01-15 | publisher=Cricinfo]

Test centuries

One Day International centuries

References

External links

* [http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/PLAYERS/RSA/S/SMITH_GC_03010406/ Cricinfo profile]
* [http://smith.bigstarcricket.com/bs/players/smith/ Official Website]