THOSE of a certain age who frequent Trent Bridge still talk reverentially about an innings played by Graeme Pollock 38 years ago. In conditions ideally suited for seam and swing, he scored 125 against an England attack whose members knew rather more about line and length than those at Michael Vaughan’s disposal.
Pollock will return to Nottingham in a fortnight with the ground staging its fiftieth Test match. A favourable reception is guaranteed and those who were not around in 1965 will be keen to see the one-time great for themselves. He will be the second-most sought after left-hander in town.
Another Graeme, Smith, is sure to be the centre of attention after successive double-hundreds, at Edgbaston and Lord’s. And Pollock can take personal satisfaction as batting consultant to the South Africa squad. “His performances have been as good as you can expect from anybody,” he said.
Pollock watched much of the innings yesterday from the dressing-room balcony, nodding and clapping approvingly as his protégé passed landmark after landmark. He wondered if the dominance of the top order at Edgbaston had been a freak, yet all such thoughts were banished, as history repeated itself.
“Before we left South Africa, people queried whether Graeme was good enough to hold his own as a player, let alone as a captain,” Pollock said. “So this is incredible.” As a former selector, Pollock wondered whether promotion had come too early. “I knew he would be captain one day,” he said. “There are various ways of following that route and this was not the most obvious one.
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“It was a critical time for South African cricket, with two series defeats against Australia and then the disappointment of the World Cup. It had got to the stage where the public was asking where we were going. Cricket was on the wane slightly, so we needed this to get back on track.”
Smith has not dismissed the idea of trying to overtake Brian Lara’s 375 and is intent on allowing his players to pass the South Africa team record of 622 for nine declared, against Australia in Durban in 1969-70. Pollock cherishes the memory of that particular innings, having contributed 274 himself.
For all of his many strengths, Pollock could not be described as an elegant or attractive player. Nevertheless, an average of 60 at the highest level before his country’s isolation testifies to command at the crease. “There are ways and means of getting a hundred,” he said. “If you know where you are talented and play within those limitations, it can work. Bill Lawry was a great example. He had a good hook and cover drive and waited for the balls that allowed him to play those shots. Gary Kirsten is a similar example. Graeme? I would hate to even think about changing his technique.”
Dr Ali Bacher, the godfather of South African cricket, gushed effusively. “A sporting hero has been born in our country,” he said. “Graeme is young, fresh, enthusiastic and committed. He would climb Everest for South Africa.”
Smith required painkillers yesterday to counter the effects of a blow to a hand on Thursday. He supplied another insight into his character by revealing that an exchange of words with England players, including Nasser Hussain, after James Anderson narrowly missed hitting Kirsten with a throw at the stumps, had strengthened his resolve.
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“At the time, I didn’t think he was throwing at the stumps,” Smith said. “I thought it was wrong and I stuck up for Gary. It got a bit heated. Every time something is said, I really want to knuckle down, especially if it is a bowler, to make him pay more. I hope I am not finished yet.”
Pollock can already sense the beneficial effect of Smith’s form on the rest of the team. The obvious question now concerns how good he might become. “He can be one of the finest Test batsmen ever,” Pollock said. “That hunger for runs is part of his character. He is 22, he could go on until he is 35. How many runs is that?” Too many for England’s liking.