Graeme Smith is playing his 117th Test match - 109 of which have been as captain, a world record - and currently stands on 9257 runs(scored 5 and 3 in Cape Town Test)
The Australian applaud Greame Smith as he strides out for his final international innings
Graeme Smith's scores in this series against Australia
- 1st Test -10 and 04
- 2nd Test -09 and 14
- 3rd Test -05 and 03
Career Record in Test Matches at the end of Cape Town Test
- Test 117
- Innings 205
- Runs 9265
- Highest 277
- 100's 27
- 50's 38
- Average 48.25
Graeme Smith revealed the news to his team-mates after the third day's play on Monday March 03,2014 at Newlands. He said finishing on his home ground felt like the perfect ending and that it was something he had been considering since ankle surgery last year.
"This has been the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my
life," he said. "It's a decision that I have been considering since my
ankle surgery in April last year. I have a young family to consider, and
I felt that retiring at Newlands would be the best way to end it
because I have called this place home since I was 18 years-old.
"I have always been someone who has left everything out there on the
field for my team and for my country. I'm extremely honoured and proud
to have had the privilege to lead so many wonderful players and to have
been a part of building the Proteas culture to what it is today. It is a
culture that every player can be, and is, immensely proud of."
His statement continued: "I would like to express my deepest gratitude
to the support from my parents and brother, my wife and children, my
friends, my sponsors, my fans and to Cricket South Africa. I thank and
honour the players who I have played with and those who have supported
me and helped me to be the person and captain I am today.
"I have been fortunate to have had many highs, amongst them leading and
being part of the best Test team in the world. I will cherish these
memories for the rest of my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I bid my career a fond yet sad farewell."
CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat praised Smith for his service to the game. "Although Graeme's decision to retire from all forms of international cricket comes as a surprise to all of us, we must respect him for deciding to call time,"
Graeme Smith(DOB Feb 01,1981) in Test Matches
CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat praised Smith for his service to the game. "Although Graeme's decision to retire from all forms of international cricket comes as a surprise to all of us, we must respect him for deciding to call time,"
Graeme Smith(DOB Feb 01,1981) in Test Matches
- Test debut against Australia in March 2002 at Newlands, Capetown one month after his 21st birthday. Scored 68 in the second innings, batting No. 3, but South Africa lost.
- Took over as captain in his ninth Test, with many sceptical about his leadership ability at age of 22. Won his first Test as captain against Bangladesh by an innings and 60 runs.
- Captaining on his first tour to England in 2003, Smith scored a double hundred in the first Test at Edgbaston before repeating the feat in the next Test at Lord's.Overall, he has drawn one series and won two on his three Test tours of England, with each visit resulting in the resignation of an England captain - Nasser Hussain in 2003, Michael Vaughan in 2008 and Andrew Strauss in 2012.Made double centuries in consecutive Tests, 277 at Edgbaston and 259 at Lords, on tour in England in 2003.
- Set a world record 415 for the first wicket with Neil McKenzie against Bangladesh at Chittagong in early 2008. They had finished day one with 405 runs, the most ever put on by a pair in a single day of Test cricket without losing a wicket.
- Led South Africa to an away Test series win over Australia in 2008, their first home loss in almost two decades. His heroics in batting despite a broken hand in an attempt to save the third Test won over many fans.
- Smith has led his side to 53 Test victories, with a win percentage of 49.07. It is the most victories for a captain in Test history.
- Wanted to relinquish the captaincy after the 2011 World Cup in India, where he took the rap for the team's brittle middle order, but was persuaded to stay on as Test skipper by coach and former team-mate Gary Kirsten.
- Led South Africa to Test series wins over England and Australia in 2012 to confirm the country's status as the top Test-playing nation.
Most Tests as captain (The top six)
| Captain | For | P | W | L | Tied | Drawn | Winning % |
| Graeme Smith | SA/ICC | 108* | 53 | 28 | 0 | 27 | 49.07 |
| Allan Border | Aus | 93 | 32 | 22 | 1 | 38 | 34.40 |
| Stephen Fleming | NZ | 80 | 28 | 27 | 0 | 25 | 35.00 |
| Ricky Ponting | Aus | 77 | 48 | 16 | 0 | 13 | 62.33 |
| Clive Lloyd | WI | 74 | 36 | 12 | 0 | 26 | 48.64 |
| Steve Waugh | Aus | 57 | 41 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 71.92 |
Most Test matches as captain
- Graeme Smith (South Africa) - 109, 2003-2014
- Allan Border (Australia) - 93, 1984-1994
- Stephen Fleming (New Zealand) - 80, 1997-2006
- Ricky Ponting (Australia) - 77, 2004-2010
- Clive Lloyd (West Indies) - 74, 1974-1985
Youngest Test captains
- Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe) - 20years 358days v Sri Lanka, 2004
- Nawab of Pataudi (India) - 21y 77d v West Indies, 1962
- Waqar Younis (Pakistan) - 22y 15d v Zimbabwe, 1993
- Graeme Smith (South Africa) - 22y 82d v Bangladesh, 2003
- Shakib al Hasan (Bangladesh) - 22y 115d v West Indies, 2009
Graeme Smith -Cricketing Career Timeline
1981: February 1 - Born in Johannesburg.
2002: March 8 - Made his Test debut against Australia in Cape Town, batting at number three and scoring 68 in the second innings as South Africa went on to lose by four wickets.
Promoted to open the batting with Herschelle Gibbs against Bangladesh in his third Test match, scoring 200.
March 30 - Made his one-day international debut against Australia in Bloemfontein, scoring 41 in a 37-run loss.
In the following home series against Pakistan, Smith (who scored 151) and Gibbs (228) shared a first-wicket stand of 368 - a then national record and, at the time, the fourth highest opening partnership in Test history.
Was awarded the South African Cricketer of the Year award for his performances in the 2001-02 season.
2003: Became the youngest ever captain of the South Africa Test side at 22 years old, succeeding Shaun Pollock after the 2003 Cricket World Cup despite playing only eight Tests and 22 ODIs.
July-August - Scored back-to-back double centuries on the 2003 tour of England, including a national record 277.
2004: Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
2005: Played county cricket for Somerset. Against Leicestershire he scored his maiden first-class triple ton (311 off 255 balls) and also captained the team to victory on finals day to secure the Twenty20 trophy, making 64 not out from 47 balls in the final.
October 21 - Made his Twenty20 international debut against New Zealand in Johannesburg, top scoring with 61 runs in a five-wicket defeat.
2006: March 12 - Led South Africa to a ODI victory over Australia in Johannesburg. The tourists set South Africa a world record 434 for four from 50 overs, which was successfully chased as they reached 438 for nine with a ball to spare. Smith scored 90 runs off 55 balls in the chase, and shared in a second wicket partnership of 187 runs with Gibbs.
2007: February 4 - In the first ODI against Pakistan, Smith smashed 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.
March-April - In the 2007 World Cup he started the tournament with four successive 50s, a feat never before achieved by a captain.
2008: February 29 - During the second Test against Bangladesh at Chittagong, Smith (who scored 232) and Neil McKenzie (226) put on a world record 415 for the first wicket. The partnership was Smith's fourth opening partnership of over 300 runs and his sixth of over 200 runs, both Test records.
August - Captained South Africa to their first Test series win in England since 1965. In scoring 108 in the second innings of the first Test at Lord's, Smith participated in a seventh double-century opening partnership, again in conjunction with McKenzie. He also scored a second-innings 154 not out in the third Test at Edgbaston.
2008: December - Captained the first South Africa side to win a Test series in Australia, inflicting a first home defeat on the opponents in 16 years.
2011: March 25 - Stepped down as ODI and Twenty20 captain after the 2011 World Cup and was replaced by AB de Villiers.
2012: July 19 - Recovered from an ankle injury to face England in a three-Test series in what was his 100th Test appearance.
November 1 - Was announced as the new captain of Surrey, starting from the 2013 season.
2013: February 1 - Captained his 100th career Test match against Pakistan, on his 32nd birthday.
2014: March 3 - Announced his retirement from international cricket following the ongoing third Test against Australia. Smith holds the world record for captaining in most Test matches - 110 - and also ends his international career holding the records for the highest number of wins in Test matches as skipper, with 50 wins, and the most number of centuries (15) by a captain in Test match wins.
2002: March 8 - Made his Test debut against Australia in Cape Town, batting at number three and scoring 68 in the second innings as South Africa went on to lose by four wickets.
Promoted to open the batting with Herschelle Gibbs against Bangladesh in his third Test match, scoring 200.
March 30 - Made his one-day international debut against Australia in Bloemfontein, scoring 41 in a 37-run loss.
In the following home series against Pakistan, Smith (who scored 151) and Gibbs (228) shared a first-wicket stand of 368 - a then national record and, at the time, the fourth highest opening partnership in Test history.
Was awarded the South African Cricketer of the Year award for his performances in the 2001-02 season.
2003: Became the youngest ever captain of the South Africa Test side at 22 years old, succeeding Shaun Pollock after the 2003 Cricket World Cup despite playing only eight Tests and 22 ODIs.
July-August - Scored back-to-back double centuries on the 2003 tour of England, including a national record 277.
2004: Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
2005: Played county cricket for Somerset. Against Leicestershire he scored his maiden first-class triple ton (311 off 255 balls) and also captained the team to victory on finals day to secure the Twenty20 trophy, making 64 not out from 47 balls in the final.
October 21 - Made his Twenty20 international debut against New Zealand in Johannesburg, top scoring with 61 runs in a five-wicket defeat.
2006: March 12 - Led South Africa to a ODI victory over Australia in Johannesburg. The tourists set South Africa a world record 434 for four from 50 overs, which was successfully chased as they reached 438 for nine with a ball to spare. Smith scored 90 runs off 55 balls in the chase, and shared in a second wicket partnership of 187 runs with Gibbs.
2007: February 4 - In the first ODI against Pakistan, Smith smashed 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.
March-April - In the 2007 World Cup he started the tournament with four successive 50s, a feat never before achieved by a captain.
2008: February 29 - During the second Test against Bangladesh at Chittagong, Smith (who scored 232) and Neil McKenzie (226) put on a world record 415 for the first wicket. The partnership was Smith's fourth opening partnership of over 300 runs and his sixth of over 200 runs, both Test records.
August - Captained South Africa to their first Test series win in England since 1965. In scoring 108 in the second innings of the first Test at Lord's, Smith participated in a seventh double-century opening partnership, again in conjunction with McKenzie. He also scored a second-innings 154 not out in the third Test at Edgbaston.
2008: December - Captained the first South Africa side to win a Test series in Australia, inflicting a first home defeat on the opponents in 16 years.
2011: March 25 - Stepped down as ODI and Twenty20 captain after the 2011 World Cup and was replaced by AB de Villiers.
2012: July 19 - Recovered from an ankle injury to face England in a three-Test series in what was his 100th Test appearance.
November 1 - Was announced as the new captain of Surrey, starting from the 2013 season.
2013: February 1 - Captained his 100th career Test match against Pakistan, on his 32nd birthday.
2014: March 3 - Announced his retirement from international cricket following the ongoing third Test against Australia. Smith holds the world record for captaining in most Test matches - 110 - and also ends his international career holding the records for the highest number of wins in Test matches as skipper, with 50 wins, and the most number of centuries (15) by a captain in Test match wins.
Career Record -ODI's
- Matches -197
- Runs -6989
- Highest -141
- Average -37.98
- Strike Rate -80.81
- 100's -10
- 50's -47
Career Record -T20's
- Matches -33
- Runs -982
- Highest -89*
- Average -31.67
- Strike Rate -127.53
- 100's -00
- 50's -05
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