Never judge a day by its cover. On 2 August 2008, just after 5am, Graeme Smith awoke feeling dreadful. His back was groaning, his tennis elbow was screaming, and he was being tormented by thoughts that South Africa had blown it in England yet again. Smith, the personification of an up-and-at-’em attitude, could barely drag himself from bed; he missed breakfast before joining the team for their journey to Edgbaston. It turned out to be the defining day of Smith’s career.
His immense 154 not out – described by Wisden as ‘one of the all-time captain’s innings’ – was a miracle of will and power that gave South Africa their first series victory in England for 43 years and exorcised an army of ghosts. The fact it was Edgbaston, where South Africa suffered their greatest heartache in the World Cup semi-final against Australia in 1999, did not do any harm either.
South Africa’s relationship with the 50-over World Cup is one of sport’s tragically doomed love stories; until 2008, their relationship with touring England had a touch of Heathcliff and Cathy as well. The three series since their return from isolation followed soul-crushingly familiar patterns. Each time they stomped all over England to take the lead, only to fail wretchedly at the last. On each tour they lost the final Test. In 1994 and 2003 they drew the series; in 1998 they were beaten. They should have won all three. To err once might be considered unfortunate; to do so three times had everyone reaching for the ch-word.
This was the almost overbearing context in which Smith considered South Africa’s prospects on that Saturday morning. He should not even have been playing. He spent much of the build-up either in hospital or on the physio’s bench suffering from back spasms so severe that he couldn’t even go the toilet properly. On the morning of the game he pretty much failed a fitness test but played anyway. In his book, A Captain’s Diary, Smith estimates he was 70 to 75 per cent fit.
