Goodbye, farewell
Mar. 25th, 2011 09:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
undyingkingToday's is another valedictory game -- it will definitely mark the end of the one-day international career of either the South African or the New Zealand captain, as they've both declared their retirement. Curiously, both are much younger than you would expect for such a declaration: but the pressures of captaincy have probably taken a pretty heavy toll.
Daniel Vettori (32) was NZ's youngest ever Test player, and I guess can unequivocally be considered their second-best ever all-rounder (after Richard Hadlee). He is one of only 8 players to reach the 300 wickets / 3000 runs Test double. With 281 ODI wickets, he's 15th on the all-time totals, with no other NZ player getting much past 200. As captain, he's won 55% of matches -- better than any other NZ captain, including his distinguished predecessor Stephen Fleming. But injury has been frequent in recent years -- his long frame has taken a battering -- and the public role of the captain has never seemed to suit a modest and taciturn man. He will be remembered fondly not just by New Zealanders, as a man who by personal example helped his team outperform expectations -- but without either ever approaching true greatness.
No-one would describe Graeme Smith (30) as taciturn or modest: his abrasive, even provocative persona has been a strong feature of his career. He's played just 91 Tests and 171 ODIs, not a lot by modern standards, over a period of less than a decade. But almost all of those have been as captain: he was appointed at just 22 years old. He averages nearly 50 in Tests and 40 in ODIs, with 30 centuries for South Africa. But it is as captain that he has made the biggest contribution. After the disgrace of Hansie Cronje, South Africa needed someone whose integrity was unquestionable, who would lead the team forcefully, and who had a chin strong enough to take all the criticism that disappointment generates. Smith has excelled at all those traits. He hasn't managed to build a great SA team -- the record of choking at one-day tournaments must be counted against his leadership, although the lack of strength in depth that has hampered them in Tests cannot be. When playing South Africa, he is very much the man you love to hate. But this current World Cup is as good a chance as they have ever had of getting their hands on silverware. It would be a great way to go out...
I should also mention Jacques Kallis, who we may also be seeing for the last time. His record indicates an all-time great: fifth on the all-time batting aggregates for both Tests and ODIs, with 57 centuries, at high averages. And he also has well over 500 wickets, more than just a useful contribution: in both forms, he is behind only Pollock, Ntini and Donald as a bowler for his country. And nearly 400 catches. But while his professionalism, concentration and dedication are admirable, I don't think he would be considered much loved, even in South Africa. His career has been dogged by the accusation of selfishness: suspicion that his batting has been for the benefit of his own figures at times, rather than for the team's prospects. It may be that he's appreciated more after he's gone. It certainly seems unlikely that South Africa will turn up a replacement any time soon, and they will be much the more beatable team without him.
Daniel Vettori (32) was NZ's youngest ever Test player, and I guess can unequivocally be considered their second-best ever all-rounder (after Richard Hadlee). He is one of only 8 players to reach the 300 wickets / 3000 runs Test double. With 281 ODI wickets, he's 15th on the all-time totals, with no other NZ player getting much past 200. As captain, he's won 55% of matches -- better than any other NZ captain, including his distinguished predecessor Stephen Fleming. But injury has been frequent in recent years -- his long frame has taken a battering -- and the public role of the captain has never seemed to suit a modest and taciturn man. He will be remembered fondly not just by New Zealanders, as a man who by personal example helped his team outperform expectations -- but without either ever approaching true greatness.
No-one would describe Graeme Smith (30) as taciturn or modest: his abrasive, even provocative persona has been a strong feature of his career. He's played just 91 Tests and 171 ODIs, not a lot by modern standards, over a period of less than a decade. But almost all of those have been as captain: he was appointed at just 22 years old. He averages nearly 50 in Tests and 40 in ODIs, with 30 centuries for South Africa. But it is as captain that he has made the biggest contribution. After the disgrace of Hansie Cronje, South Africa needed someone whose integrity was unquestionable, who would lead the team forcefully, and who had a chin strong enough to take all the criticism that disappointment generates. Smith has excelled at all those traits. He hasn't managed to build a great SA team -- the record of choking at one-day tournaments must be counted against his leadership, although the lack of strength in depth that has hampered them in Tests cannot be. When playing South Africa, he is very much the man you love to hate. But this current World Cup is as good a chance as they have ever had of getting their hands on silverware. It would be a great way to go out...
I should also mention Jacques Kallis, who we may also be seeing for the last time. His record indicates an all-time great: fifth on the all-time batting aggregates for both Tests and ODIs, with 57 centuries, at high averages. And he also has well over 500 wickets, more than just a useful contribution: in both forms, he is behind only Pollock, Ntini and Donald as a bowler for his country. And nearly 400 catches. But while his professionalism, concentration and dedication are admirable, I don't think he would be considered much loved, even in South Africa. His career has been dogged by the accusation of selfishness: suspicion that his batting has been for the benefit of his own figures at times, rather than for the team's prospects. It may be that he's appreciated more after he's gone. It certainly seems unlikely that South Africa will turn up a replacement any time soon, and they will be much the more beatable team without him.
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no subject
Date: 2011-03-25 10:09 am (UTC)I should also mention Jacques Kallis...
Thank you for proving the point I made yesterday! ;-)
Was that deliberate or did it just roll off your fingertips that way naturally?
P.S. According to an interview he gave just before the Pakistan match, Vettori is only retiring from the captaincy; he said that he is more than willing to keep playing under someone else.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-25 11:03 am (UTC)Without running an alternate version where I hadn't read your comment yesterday, it's difficult to judge the Kallis line :-) but it certainly didn't come unnaturally to my fingers, let's put it that way…
no subject
Date: 2011-03-25 11:22 am (UTC)The Kiwi's were very excited about this gawky, spectacled spin bowler on debut and I've had a soft spot for Vettori ever since.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-25 12:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-26 08:15 am (UTC)Oh, and what a fine "choke" that was yesterday! Smith had previously responded to quesitons about choking by saying it was something they didn't talk about in the dressing room, but perhaps they need to...
Aussies and Sithefricans gone, it's all looking very subcontinental now.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-25 03:26 pm (UTC)(Can't say I'm unhappy about it mind you, I like New Zealand!)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-25 03:27 pm (UTC)And 146/8 in 37.2 looks no better, frankly...
no subject
Date: 2011-03-25 04:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-26 12:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-28 11:12 am (UTC)