Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
Smith is currently captaining South Africa for the 50th time(inclusive of substandard sides). He has not yet reached his 27th birthday, and as such could easily play Tests for another 10 years - maybe even longer if things were to go well. By the end of this series against West Indies (provided he's fit for all games) he'll be 1 behind the SA record of Hansie Cronje. Before this season's out - again given full fitness - he'll be beyond the tallies of Cronje, Michael Atherton, Arjuna Ranatunga and Stephen Waugh. Clive Lloyd and Allan Border remain a fair way ahead yet on 74 and 93, and the man I had assumed would break all records long before Smith - Stephen Fleming - has now been stalled on 80 (inclusive of substandard sides).
So will Smith last to be the first to captain 100 Tests? Or will someone replace him? If so, having been appointed at 22, what would the feeling be then?
So will Smith last to be the first to captain 100 Tests? Or will someone replace him? If so, having been appointed at 22, what would the feeling be then?