When Graeme Smith stepped out of the dressing room to bat at number 11 with a broken bone in his left hand and a virtually lame and painful right elbow, there were still 38 balls left to face. The courageous captain strode to the middle, to a tumultuous applause from the spectators, in the hope to save the 3rd Test in Sydney, yet it was not the final piece of drama in a gripping series between the two old adversaries.
Makhaya Ntini and Dale Steyn stood tall in 74 defiant minutes for the 9th wicket. Then Dale Steyn departed to add to the tension. In that stand with Steyn, Ntini survived a caught-and-bowled chance, was then dropped by Mathew Hayden with Smith looking on from the other end. It looked as though the home team had blown its last chance.
Storm clouds gathered and swirled to add to the mind-sapping tension. The crowd grew restive and agitated, yet in awe and admiration as Smith gallantly aimed to deny their team victory. He held on, wincing every time the ball hit the bat. He faced 17 deliveries in 29 agonizing minutes. It was the bravest demonstration of courage seen in recent times. But alas, he did not have the final say. Smith was helpless as he was bowled off a crack on a ragged 5th afternoon pitch by Mitchell Johnson. It was 5.34 pm and just ten balls remained. “Seldom has a loss so closely resembled a triumph”, wrote Peter Roebuck. Australia’s victory salvaged pride, South Africa had discovered another legend.
Makhaya Ntini discovered that he too could emulate his lower-order colleagues. Their heroics in the second Test in Melbourne clinched the series. Ntini kept the attack at bay for 103 minutes and 75 deliveries to frustrate the attack and to force the game and the series to the last ten overs.
Smiths heroics will be remembered along with that of New Zealander Bert Sutcliffe (head injury), who returned to the crease against South Africa. Colin Cowdrey ten years later in 1963 with his arm shattered and in plaster, partnered David Allen for an over to deny West Indies a win and in the 1977 Centenary Test in Melbourne, Rick McKosker batted with a broken jaw. In 1984, the late West Indian pace man Malcolm Marshall batted with a broken bone in his hand, then later, led the attack with his hand and forearm heavily plastered.
Captain Smith set the tone for the series with a stout and determined century in the first Test in Perth. A B De Villiers and debutant J P Duminys unbroken 111run partnership for the 5th wicket snatched an amazing win in the games 2nd largest run chase. Then his scores of 62 and 75 in the 2nd Test was only bettered by Dale Steyns all-round performances and the the classy Duminy, who in only his third innings in Tests scored a brilliant 166. Duminy and the tail-enders rescued South Africa from 185 for 7 to 459 all out and the 65 run lead proved crucial. Duminy and Steyns 180 for the 9th wicket was the highest for South Africa against Australia and was 15 runs short of a world record. Steyns 75, his Test best came after his five wickets in the first innings and followed it with another five to complete a career defining performance and ensuring a series win for the first time in Australia.
Then came the final Test where until the injury to the finger, Smith had led his team admirably. For a man who on his previous tour three years back was heckled at every instance and deemed cocky and arrogant, guided his men against all odds to win two exceptional Tests to bring pride to his team and to his country. He had won over even the most hardened Aussie. Then in the final Test, in the final hour, fate appeared to have made up its mind. But in cricket, the end is only ever a ball away. It was a day the losing captain won.
