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[Howzat]

I have a lot more respect for Graeme Smith after todays performance - they may not have won the match but what grit and determination he showed.
Glad he got a standing ovation from the whole crowd 

it was the valiant attempt by the visitors' injured captain, Graeme Smith, to save the day that won the admiration of cricket fans of all persuasions.

With lightning flashing in the sky and his tail-enders holding on grimly during the last session of a gripping series, Smith, who had watched the match from the balcony since breaking his knuckle on the second day of the game, decided he would defy medical orders and bat if need be.

There was a Test to be saved and a rare opportunity to keep Australia winless on home soil.

The only problem was that Smith, who has a cast on his left hand and a severely injured elbow on the other side of his body, had left his clothes back in the hotel, not planning to bat in the second innings. While the game dragged on yesterday, strange scenes ensued inside the South African dressing room.

Smith found a pair of trousers among his bats. He borrowed a shirt from Jacques Kallis and now he needed a jumper to complete the outfit. The only one that would fit belonged to spinner Paul Harris, but it had a large hamburger stain on the left side from a recent feast.

No matter, but there was the problem of the plaster cast on his wrist and an arm so immobile he could not dress himself, even with his gear assembled.

Somehow he managed to get the cast off and pull over the aching hand a specially modified glove that accommodated two taped fingers and a protector. Morne Morkel was delegated to dress his captain.

It should never have come to this. Australia, despite playing with two Test debutants, had South Africa eight wickets down before 4pm and thought they just had to get either Dale Steyn or notorious bunny Makhaya Ntini out and the game was done.

Somehow the pair held on until after 5pm. When one of the newcomers, Andrew McDonald, removed Steyn, the Australians celebrated as if they had won the Test. That is when Smith appeared from the change rooms and walked to the field, heart beating fast beneath the hamburger stain.

"I just decided to give it my best shot," Smith said later. "If I got a first baller, at least I tried."

He decided he could not risk pain-killing injections in the wrist or elbow and knew that it was going to hurt like hell, but Smith also knew if he could hold on with Ntini for another 50 balls they could save the match.

Just like former Australian opener Rick McCosker, who batted at No10 with a broken jaw in the second innings of the Centenary Test against England in 1977, Smith was prepared to risk a lot of pain if it helped the team's cause.

"Luckily, most balls hit the bat," Smith said. "Once one ball hit my bat, I kind of thought, 'OK, that's one out of the way, just keep watching the ball'. I think I was more worried about getting a blow on the hand than anything else, but luckily it never happened."

Smith and Ntini lasted 40 balls before Mitchell Johnson bowled the incapacitated South African captain with a ball that deviated off one of the cracks that had opened up on the pitch.

[Coach]

Agreed! Some people will say it would have been easy for him just to sit it out but in my opinion that would have been impossible for him as the leader he would want to be shown to be commited but much respect

[Bellie]

smith is a legend to me. you had to feel sorry for him when he got out. show he was dedicated to cricket to bat today

[Arthur]

Yeah I agree, great captaincy. If only we had someone willing to do this much for his country...

[Coach]

One Name - Paul Collingwood

[BlarneyArmy]

Fair play to the guy. I know many people wouldnt have done it.

[stevie]

He was so brave and it must have been gutting getting out that close to the end.

[slogger02]

yeah well done graeme smith, great effort to save the test.  i have far greater respect for him now, showed some real english grit (shame he's not english tho!)

[acko109]

i have to honestly say i never used to be able to stand graeme smith but after him doing that i have a lot of respect for him

[Bellie]

see post of mine above for my respect for him.

i loved the bit about the hamburgers and feasts lol

[Master Blaster]

I live in Sydney. I was there watching this game LIVE and man what an atmosphere. I got goosebumps as soon as I saw Smith walk out.

Obviously from my profile picture I dont support the Aussies I would rather the South Africans win the game but oh well the Aussies can have one win hahaha!!

[dekaz]

best man in world cricket [fullstop]

best captain in international cricket [fullstop]

graeme smith = guts

guts= respect!

[danspink]

my hat is of to the fella

[AtBalfour]

Good courage, but everyone is saying, well he could have easily not have come out to bat. Well I disagree, it would have been shameful on him if he hadn't and looked like he had given up. Fair play to him, but to be honest, this is a little over-hyped!

[Marcussjd9]

He had a broken hand!! The guy couldn't dress himself. It was in a cast which he pulled off. It was a dead rubber. Course he could've decided not to play. He wasn't meant to pick up a bat again for 6 weeks. He already played throught the pain of his elbow.

Let's smash a cricket ball into your hand at 140ks and see if you can bat against the same bowling 48 hours later