The Multan Cricket Stadium is a multi-purpose venue located in Multan, Pakistan.

Established in 2001, the Multan Cricket Stadium has a seating capacity of 35,000. Interestingly, the stadium was built as a replacement for the Qasim Bagh stadium.

It is the home ground of the Pakistan cricket team, Southern Punjab cricket team and PSL outfit Multan Sultans.

Owned by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Multan Cricket Stadium staged its first One-Day International (ODI) match between Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2003. The Inzamam-ul-Haq-led Pakistan won the match by a massive 137 runs in Multan, Punjab.

It later hosted its first day/night ODI game at this venue between arch-rivals Pakistan and India on February 16, 2006. Led by Rahul Dravid, India secured a five-wicket win in that match. It has staged 10 ODIs so far.

Let’s have a look at Multan Cricket Stadium ODI records and stats:

Multan Cricket Stadium ODI records and stats

Highest team total

The Pakistan cricket team holds the record for the highest team total at the Multan Cricket Stadium in ODI format. The hosts posted 323/3 in their 50 overs during the first ODI of Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan in 2003. Opener Yasir Hameed scored 116 while captain Inzamam-ul-Haq (56 not out) and Younis Khan (59 not out) hit fifties to power Pakistan to a huge total. In reply, Bangladesh were bowled out for 186 in 43.2 overs. Pakistan won the match by 137 runs and later registered a 5-0 ODI series win.

Lowest team total

The Zimbabwe cricket team recorded the lowest team total at the Multan Cricket Stadium in ODI cricket. Chasing a target of 293, the Tatenda Taibu-led Zimbabwe were skittled out for 148 in 38.3 overs against Pakistan in 2004. Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi were the standout bowlers for Pakistan as they bagged three wickets each. Earlier, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq’s unbeaten 107 guided Pakistan to 292/7 in their allotted 50 overs. Pakistan secured a comprehensive 144-run victory in Multan.

Most runs

Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq holds the record for the most runs at this venue in ODI cricket. The southpaw has scored 199 runs in three matches at an average of 66.33 and a strike rate of 94.31. He has slammed three fifties at the Multan cricket stadium in the 50-over format. Former Pakistani cricketer Yasir Hameed is second on the list with 197 runs in four ODIs.

Most wickets

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has picked up the most wickets at the Multan Cricket Stadium in ODI cricket. The slow left-arm spinner has already scalped seven wickets in three matches at an average of 19.42 and an economy of 4.53. He recorded best bowling figures of 4/19 on this ground in ODI cricket. His compatriot Shadab Khan features second on the list with seven wickets in three ODIs.

Highest individual score

West Indies cricketer Shai Hope owns the record for the highest individual score at this venue in the ODI format. The stylish wicketkeeper-batter scored 127 off 134 balls during the first ODI of West Indies' tour of Pakistan in 2022. Hope’s scintillating knock included 15 fours and one six. West Indies rode on Hope’s brilliant hundred to post 305/8 in their 50 overs. However, captain Babar Azam (103), Imam-ul-Haq (65) and Mohammad Rizwan (59) helped Pakistan chase down the required target in 49.2 overs and register a five-wicket victory.

Best bowling figures

Mohammad Nawaz has the best bowling figures at the Multan Cricket Stadium in ODI cricket. During the second ODI of the West Indies tour of Pakistan in 2022, Nawaz registered match-winning figures of 4/10 in Multan. Defending 275, the left-arm spinner bagged the huge wickets of Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran and Alzarri Joseph to bowl out West Indies for 155 in 32.2 overs.

Highest partnership

Former South Africa cricketers Graeme Smith and Shaun Pollock hold the record for the highest partnership at the Multan Cricket Stadium in the ODI format. Chasing 231, Graeme Smith and Shaun Pollock forged a match-winning 159-run stand for the second wicket to guide the visitors to a seven-wicket win in 2007. While Proteas captain Smith scored 81, star all-rounder Pollock slammed 90 off 84 balls. South Africa won the five-match ODI series 3-2.

Photo credit: Alamy

Leadership plays an important role in the success of a team in any sport, including cricket, and getting to lead their country is arguably the most important achievement in a cricketer’s career.

Ever since the first game of cricket back in the 19th century, we have witnessed some of the finest masterminds of the game, who, through their class and genius, captained their national teams to great heights.

Even though the position is filled with pressure and responsibility, some players have fulfilled these duties with flying colours and have taken their team to the next level.

From MS Dhoni to Allan Border, here’s the list of the best captains in the world.

Ricky Ponting | 220 wins in 324 matches

Former Australian cricket team captain Ricky Ponting is statistically the best captain in the world, winning 220 out of 324 matches, which is a whopping 67.9 per cent.

Ponting led Australia to two consecutive 50-over World Cup triumphs in 2003 and 2007, in addition to twin Champions Trophy wins in 2006 and 2009.

Known for his aggression on the field, Ponting is the leading scorer in ODIs and Tests for Australia, scoring 10,000+ runs in each discipline. Moreover, he is the only player to win more than 100 test matches.

MS Dhoni | 178 wins in 332 matches

Former Team India skipper MS Dhoni is next on the list of best captains in the world, with an overall win percentage of 53.61 across formats, winning 178 of the 332 matches while leading his team.

Nicknamed “Thala�? he guided the Indian cricket team to its most successful phase between 2007 and 2018, where he captained his side to three ICC trophies, namely T20 World Cup 2007, World Cup 2011, Champions Trophy 2013.

Interestingly, under his leadership in 2009, Team India attained the best Test cricket ranking of No. 1 for the first time in their history.

Graeme Smith | 163 wins in 286 matches

Former South African opener Graeme Smith is also among the best captains in the world, winning 163 out of the 286 matches he led his side in. 

Graeme Smith became the Proteas�?youngest-ever captain when he was given the role at the age of 22, with an experience of just eight Test matches. 

Under his leadership, South Africa got recognised as one of the best touring teams. He holds the record of being the only captain to play over 100 Test matches and register the highest number of wins in Test matches as a captain with 53 victories.

The major highlights of his glittering career are the two double centuries that he smashed in back-to-back Tests against England at Edgbaston and Lord’s during the South Africa Tour of England in 2003. 

Allan Border | 139 wins in 271 games

With 139 wins in 271 games, Allan Border is regarded as one of the greatest Australian captains and batters of all time. He too scored more than 15,000 runs in an illustrious career spanning over 15 years

Coming in at a time when Australian cricket was enduring a tough phase after Kim Hughes' resignation as skipper in 1984/85, Border led his team to glory in the 1987 World Cup, followed by Ashes success. 

Allan Border also holds the record for leading a side in the most consecutive Test matches (93) between December 1984 and March 1994. 

Border also holds an astonishing record of being the only player in the history of the game to score 150 runs in each innings of a Test match, when he achieved the feat in the drawn third Test of the Australia tour of Pakistan 1979/80.

Virat Kohli | 135 wins in 213 matches

Along with MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli is the most successful captain the Indian cricket team, with 135 wins in 213 games at an fantastic winning rate of 63.38 per cent.

Kohli captained Team India for the first time in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in December 2014. He scored a century in the first innings of that game, becoming the fourth Indian to score a hundred on test captaincy debut.

The Delhi-born cricketer broke a plethora of records during his stint as national cricket team captain. He currently has 71 international centuries to his name, which is second only to his fellow countryman Sachin Tendulkar, tied with Ricky Ponting.

Best captain in the world

Player	Team	Matches	Won	Lost	Win Percentage
Ricky Ponting	Australia	324	220	77	67.9
MS Dhoni	India	332	178	120	54.61
Graeme Smith	South Africa	286	163	89	56.99
Allan Border	Australia	271	139	89	51.29
Virat Kohli	India	213	135	60	63.38
Stephen Fleming	New Zealand	303	128	135	42.24
Hansie Cronje	South Africa	191	126	46	65.96
Eoin Morgan	England	198	118	67	59.59
Steve Waugh	Australia	163	108	44	66.25
Mohammad Azharuddin	India	221	104	90	47.05

 

Featured Photo: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP

India’s opening batter Shikhar Dhawan has scored the most runs in a single edition of the Under-19 World Cup. 

During the 2004 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh, Dhawan amassed 505 runs in seven matches at an impressive average of 84.16. The swashbuckling southpaw smashed three hundreds and one fifty in the tournament. 

Dhawan smashed 155 off 138 balls against Scotland and followed it up with another impressive hundred (120 off 148 balls) versus hosts Bangladesh. He registered his third ton against Sri Lanka, scoring a 136-ball 146.

Interestingly, the New Delhi-born cricketer has been the only batter till date to score more than 500 runs in a single edition of the Under-19 World Cup.

Second on the list for most runs in a single edition of the Under-19 World Cup is former Australia cricketer Brett Williams. 

During the inaugural edition of the Under-19 World Cup in Australia in 1988, Williams accumulated 471 runs in nine matches at an average of 52.33. The right-handed batter smashed two centuries and three fifties in the tournament.

Former Australia captain Cameron White is third on the list for most runs in a single edition of the Under-19 World Cup. White scored 423 runs in eight matches at an average of 70.50 during the 2002 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. He registered one hundred and two half-centuries to his name.

England’s Jack Burnham and West Indies�?Alick Athanaze complete the top five list for most runs in a single edition of the Under-19 World Cup. 

While Burnham amassed 420 runs in six matches during the 2016 edition in Bangladesh, Athanaze registered 420 runs in the same number of matches in the 2018 edition held in New Zealand.

Most runs in a single edition of Under-19 World Cup

Player	Runs	Year
Shikhar Dhawan (India)	505	2004
Brett Williams (Australia)	471	1988
Cameron White (Australia)	423	2002
Jack Burnham (England)	420	2016
Alick Athanaze (West Indies)	418	2018
Shadman Islam (Bangladesh)	406	2014
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)	400	2020
Dominic Hendricks (South Africa)	391	2010
Anamul Haque (Bangladesh)	365	2012
Chris Gayle (West Indies)	364	1998
Cheteshwar Pujara (India)	349	2006
Graeme Smith (South Africa)	348	2000
Tanmay Srivastava (India)	262	2008

Featured photo: FARJANA K. GODHULY / AFP

On March 12, 2006, South Africa registered the highest run chase in One Day International (ODI) cricket by scoring 438 runs to hunt down Australia’s mammoth 434.

The 438 Game, as it is fondly remembered, was the series-decider between the two cricketing powerhouses after South Africa won the first two ODIs and world champions Australia bounced back to level the series 2-2.

#OnThisDay in 2006... the greatest ODI of all time?

After Ricky Ponting's 164 led Australia to 434/4 - the first 400+ score in an ODI - @hershybru made 175 as South Africa chased it to win by one wicket with one ball remaining in Johannesburg and take the series 3-2! pic.twitter.com/YLdewhUF9Q

�?ICC (@ICC) March 12, 2019

Australia smash 434

Having won the toss in the ultimate match of the series, the Ricky Ponting-led Australia team scored a world record score of 434/4 in its first innings, thanks to a 164-run knock from their skipper.

It was the then highest total in ODI cricket, albeit for a short time.

 

During the innings break, the visitors were in a jubilant mood and their shrieks of joy seeped through the walls of the Proteas dressing room. It looked as if they were predicting a one-sided contest in the encounter.

Meanwhile, several empty seats had surfaced during the break and it was very difficult to predict whether the crowd had left to grab a snack, or if they’d left for good.

On the other hand, South Africa were visibly shocked. However, It wasn’t until their star all-rounder Jacques Kallis chipped in with a few words to get the other players out of their shells.

“OK, guys, I think the bowlers have done their job. Now it’s up to the batsmen. They’re 15 runs short; this is a 450-wicket,�?Jacques Kallis said something to that effect. 

“Suddenly there was a lot of laughter and plenty of swearing, but at least it wasn’t bottled up inside. We had nothing to lose. What the hell �?let’s give it a go. Before that moment, I don’t believe anybody would have even talked about trying to win. It seemed too ridiculous,�?Mark Boucher, wicket-keeper at the time, wrote in his autobiography ‘Bouch: Through My Eyes�?

Hungover Herschelle in top gear

The previous record for the highest run chase in ODI cricket was held by New Zealand, who scored 332 against Australia. 

But to even get close to the gigantic total on the scoreboard in this match, South Africa had to do something never done before.

And, with this thought, the hosts came out swinging.

After losing Boeta Dippenaar in the second over, South Africa captain Graeme Smith (90) and Herschelle Gibbs (175) stitched an incredible 187-run stand for the first wicket partnership to help the hosts reach 200 in just the 24th over, with eight wickets still in hand.

Herschelle Gibbs later revealed in his autobiography 'To the Point: The No-Holds-Barred Autobiography' that he was hungover after he drank a lot the night before the game.

 

Interestingly, the former opening batsman was nearly deemed unfit to play in that South Africa vs Australia epic ODI match because of his drinking. In fact, former Australian cricketer Michael Hussey had made a mention of this incident in his book as well.

“We were staying at the same hotel as the South Africans and we went out for dinner quite early, and Herschelle was just sitting in the bar. He was well on his way then, and when we came back two hours later, he was still sitting in exactly the same spot, and he was all over the place,�?Michael Hussey wrote about the South Africa match. 

“That was at about 10 o'clock. And I remember before going to bed, looking down from my floor and he was still down there, yelling and screaming and calling out stuff. At least he was a free wicket,�?Hussey added.

It was not to be. Herschelle Gibbs�?/span> 175 was his highest score in ODI cricket. However, Australia removed Gibbs, AB de Villiers (14) and Jacques Kallis (20) in quick succession to move into a dominant position in the series-decider.

South Africa complete the highest run chase in ODIs

The Rainbow Nation still needed over 100 runs off just 13 overs with a required run-rate of eight runs per over. And this was before the advent of T20 cricket.

Any hopes of a miracle rested on South Africa wicket-keeper batsman Mark Boucher who took over the mantle after Herschelle Gibbs was dismissed.

While the runs kept coming, South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals until Makhaya Ntini was the last man to walk in. 

Most South Africa players swore that they saw their pace spearhead shaken on the day. “Seriously, I was watching a black man turn white. I walked over to meet him and his eyes were all over the place,�?recalled Mark Boucher.

Mark Boucher smashed the winning runs off Brett Lee as South Africa created history by chasing down the mammoth target of 435 with a wicket in hand and a ball to spare.

 

 

“When Brett was running into me, I was just thinking about how we'd played the whole game with no fear so I'm not going to fear anything now,�?Mark Boucher had said in an interview to Cricket Australia.

�?/span>Michael Clarke was at mid-on, but he was very close in to save the single. Knowing the Wanderers wicket, if you get anything full and I saw it early enough, I was going to try and pop it over the top. It only needed a half hit to get it over the top, 

“it wasn't like I was trying to hit the ball for six. I just had to keep my shape and back myself to do it. And thankfully it worked,�?the former South African international added.

#OnThisDay in 2006, @hershybru helped South Africa chase down Australia's mammoth target of 435 with a diligent 175 in Johannesburg. pic.twitter.com/bD16rfmHQb

�?ICC (@ICC) March 12, 2018

South Africa became the first team ever to successfully chase above 400 in ODI history. Their score of 438/9 still stands as the highest second innings total posted by any team in the 50-over format.

Currently, England hold the record for the highest ODI total in history as the Eoin Morgan-led side had posted 481/6 against Australia at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on June 19, 2018. The hosts had thrashed the Aussies by 242 runs in the encounter.

But the record for the highest run chase in ODI cricket still belongs to South Africa.

Feature photo: Twitter/ICC

Scoring a hundred in Tests is by no means an easy feat, with plenty of talented players who have thrived in other formats of the game failing to ever do so in red-ball cricket. If you thought scoring a ton is difficult enough in Tests, then making a double century is even more of a challenge, with the batsman’s natural ability and mental wherewithal being pushed to the limit in cricket’s oldest format. Double centuries are generally scored by experienced players who have been battle-hardened after years of Test cricket but here we look at some of the youngest players in the history of the game to have achieved that feat. 

Javed Miandad vs New Zealand (1976)

Aged 19 years and 140 days, Pakistan’s legendary batsman Javed Miandad became the youngest player to score a double ton in Tests during the opening innings of the third Test of their tour of New Zealand in 1976. Miandad was in imperious form, smashing the Kiwis for 29 fours and two maximums en route to 206. His knock helped Pakistan post 565 on the scoreboard in the first innings and he also scored 85 in the second as the match eventually ended in a draw and the tourists sealed a 2-0 series victory.

George Headley vs England (1930)

Prior to Miandad holding the record, the distinction of the being the youngest-ever double centurion in Tests belonged to West Indies�?George Headley for 46 years. He managed to do so in extremely challenging conditions at the tender age of 20 years and 308 days. After a below-par display by West Indies in their first innings of the fourth Test of England’s tour of the Caribbean islands in 1930, the tourists set a target of 836. However, Headley wasn’t prepared to throw in the towel and with the help of a few of his teammates managed to score 223 to save the Test. His brave and determined knock saw him hit 28 fours.

Vinod Kambli vs England (1993)

India’s youngest double centurion in Tests, Vinod Kambli’s knock came during the third Test of England’s 1993 tour of India. Kambli top-scored for India with 224 at 21 years and 32 days as the tourists lost the match by an innings and 15 runs. The loss meant that India had whitewashed England, winning the three-match series 3-0. Still relatively new to the international circuit at the time, Kambli’s knock was a joy to watch. The elegant left-hander hit 23 fours during his 224 as India posted 591 in their only innings in the Test.

Sir Garry Sobers vs Pakistan (1958)

If you thought scoring a double ton was difficult for youngsters, one can well imagine how challenging scoring a triple ton would be. But if your name was Sir Garry Sobers, that would comprise just another day at the office as it is exactly what the West Indian legend did aged 21 years and 213 days. Walking into bat at number three during the West Indies�?first innings of the third Test of Pakistan tour of the Caribbean islands in 1958, Sobers proceeded to deliver a masterclass in batting and was well-supported from the other end by the likes of Sir Conrad Hunte, Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Clyde Walcott. He smashed 38 fours en route to an unbeaten 365 and helped West Indies win by an innings and 174 runs.

Graeme Smith vs Bangladesh (2002)

The most recent knock on this list, former South African skipper Graeme Smith scored a double ton for the Proteas aged 21 years and 259 days. Opening the innings for his team during Bangladesh’s tour of South Africa in 2002, the stylish left-hander was at his brilliant best, scoring 200 with 25 fours in his innings. His knock helped South Africa post a mammoth first innings total of 529 and Bangladesh’s meek response saw them being bundled comfortably in both their innings as the Proteas won the match by an innings and 107 runs and Smith was declared the Player of the Match.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter.com / @ICC

A week of race controversy for South African cricket ended on Saturday with the sport's return to live action in the country.

An unusual match involving three teams was played in an empty SuperSport Park in Centurion, making it difficult to judge whether the new form of the game, branded 3T Cricket, had the potential for major spectator appeal.

• Why Cricket South Africa is experimenting with a three-team match

It was the first major televised sporting event in South Africa since the lockdown in March and came days after 30 black former South African international players alleged in a letter that racism still affected the sport.

The 24 players involved on Saturday were united in wearing Black Lives Matter armbands. Before play started, there was a minute of silence for victims of the global virus, followed by all the players taking a knee in solidarity with the BLM movement.

Makhaya Ntini, the former Test fast bowler who played in 101 Test matches, was one of the commentators.

He did not refer to an emotional television interview on Friday in which he said he felt lonely during his international career because he did not feel included in off-field activities involving groups of team-mates.

Ntini said his loneliness extended to sitting alone in hotels at breakfast time. He also said his much-publicised habit of running between hotels and grounds rather than travelling with other players on the team bus stemmed from his feeling of exclusion.

Graeme Smith, South Africa's director of cricket, was one of Ntini's captains but if there were any ill feelings, it was not evident when they were on air together on Saturday, with Ntini saying "we stand together" at one point in his conversation with Smith.

Smith came out strongly in support of Black Lives Matter on Friday.

Saturday's match featured three teams of eight players each, with no regional identity. The Eagles, a team captained by AB de Villiers, were the winners with a total of 160 for four from 12 overs, with six overs each bowled by the other two teams. De Villiers hit 61 and Aiden Markram scored 70.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Christiaan Kotze

In this special series on Graeme Smith, we have seen his top five Test knocks, and why he is branded as the best fourth-innings batsman. Now, we take a look at the team which he tormented the most during his long career as opening batsman and skipper �?England.

While in their current form, England are more than likely of getting the better of their South African counterparts, there was a time when the Proteas were a side to reckon with, especially under the captaincy of Graeme Smith.

In the five Test series that Smith played against England, he won two, drew two and lost just one. And it was not only his captaincy that caught the eyes of the pundits but also the fact that Graeme Smith led his side from the front. In the 21 matches that Smith played against England, he scored 2051 runs at an average of 56.97. This includes seven half-centuries and seven centuries. This statistic is important because of the 27 Test centuries notched by the former Rajasthan Royals batsman, he has the joint-most number of tons against West Indies and England.

The Lord of Lord’s

In his first Test series away from home at England in 2003, Graeme Smith outdid himself after scoring a record-breaking 277 in the first Test at Edgbaston, which remained the highest individual Test innings scored by a South African until November 2010. He backed up this performance with a brilliant 259 at Lord’s, which still remains the highest score made at the legendary venue by a foreign player.

After England managed to salvage a draw against the Proteas, winning two and losing two Tests, skipper Nasser Hussain retired from England’s Test captaincy following the trump at Edgbaston.

The highlight of Graeme Smith’s Test career, however, has to be their tour of England in 2008. England could not contain the might of the Proteas. Over the next four Tests, Graeme Smith scored 369 runs at an average of 61.50, including two centuries.

Another Vaughan bites the dust

After sealing a possible series draw by winning the first two matches, Smith partnered with AB de Villiers and then Mark Boucher and set up two different stands, scoring an unbeaten 154 runs. He eventually led the team to a five-wicket stand. What was even more significant was that South Africa had won their first series in England after 43 years. Smith claimed his second victim as well when Michael Vaughan gave up England’s Test captaincy after the series loss.

Smith was not done retiring skippers though, when a third English skipper, Andrew Strauss, announced his retirement from England’s Test captaincy following yet another series loss at home against South Africa in 2011. Although Smith was not at his best form during the Test, he still managed to notch a century, eventually scoring 272 runs at an average of 54.40, while leading South Africa to another away victory.

While the list of records broken by Smith is endless, his contributions against a top side like England is often overlooked. He has the most runs in his career against England. The Proteas are now sadly just a shadow of their previous selves but Graeme Smith, currently the director of Cricket South Africa, will once again look to improve his beloved team’s performance, this time with his off-field decision making prowess. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Martin Hayhow

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

The power struggle at the top of South African cricket escalated as Thabang Moroe said he was back in charge, but his board responded Friday by saying the chief executive was still suspended.

Moroe attempted to return to work on Thursday, saying that a six-month suspension on full pay had expired. He was initially thwarted because the offices of Cricket South Africa (CSA) were in lockdown because of the global pandemic, with staff working from home.

CSA responded with a statement in the early hours of Friday saying the suspension remained in force until the completion of a forensic investigation into allegations of misconduct. It promised that more "clarity and certainty will be provided by the end of June".

While Moroe has been suspended, major changes have taken place in the CSA administration under acting chief executive Jacques Faul, with former Test captain Graeme Smith appointed as director of cricket and former Test wicketkeeper Mark Boucher as head coach, under an arrangement that largely sidelines the board.

Read | Assessing South Africa's options for Test captaincy

CSA has faced heavy criticism with sponsors and former administrators calling for the resignation of the board or, alternatively, for president Chris Nenzani and vice-president Beresford Williams to step aside.

Nenzani was granted an extra year at the helm last September despite having served the maximum two three-year terms permitted by the CSA constitution. The extension was ostensibly to oversee a radical change in administration in which Moroe as chief executive was given wide-ranging powers, notably in the running of the national team.

Under Moroe, there was a breakdown in relations with the SA Cricketers' Association, which represents the country's professional players.

Moroe was suspended shortly after withdrawing the accreditation of five journalists in December, provoking a storm which led to four members of the board resigning and a major sponsor announcing that it would not renew its backing of CSA.

The misconduct charges against Moroe were not spelt out but the chairman of the finance committee, one of the board members who resigned, alleged there had been widespread credit card abuse.

Read | Graeme Smith �?The greatest fourth-innings batsman

Faul was appointed in an acting capacity and almost immediately changed the national team set-up planned by Moroe.

Smith is contracted until the end of March 2022 and Boucher until the end of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, leaving the board has effectively sidelined.

Faul has succeeded in repairing relations with the cricketers' association, which on Monday criticised the board for not finalising the Moroe issue, claiming there appeared to be "a lack of will at board level to deal with this issue".

Moroe remains on full pay, with a salary reported to be in excess of $20,000 (17,670 euros) a month, which is at the upper end of executive pay in South Africa.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Brenton Geach

Along with being one of the best captains of the game, one must be appreciative of the brilliant batsman that Graeme Smith was. Taking up the mantle of captaincy at the young age of 22 can be a daunting task, but the South African pulled it off with aplomb. Dutifully shouldering the burden of leading his side through the years, Smith seemed unfazed in face of adversity, which probably makes him one of the greatest fourth-innings Test batsmen to have ever played the game.

Having played 117 Tests for South Africa and captained in a record 108, Graeme Smith scored a mammoth 9,265 runs at an average of 48.25. A testament of his commitment for his team, not only as a batsman but also as a frontrunner and a leader, were the statistics that his career turn up, especially when he played in the fourth innings of a game.

During his 12-year career, Smith managed to score a total of 1611 runs in the fourth innings, at an average of 52. The only other batsman to score more runs in the fourth innings was Sachin Tendulkar, but the Master Blaster has played 19 more innings than the former Proteas skipper. Hence, the average of the Indian batting legend in the fourth innings was also considerably lesser than Smith.

Top five highest fourth innings scores (courtesy: ESPNCricinfo)
Batsman	No. of innings played	Fourth innings score	Average
Sachin Tendulkar	60	1625	36.93
Graeme Smith	41	1611	51.96
Rahul Dravid	57	1575	40.38
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	45	1518	44.64
Ricky Ponting	43	1462	50.41

At the same time, he is also one of five batsmen who managed to score four fourth-innings centuries, the others being Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Younis Khan. A more interesting statistic in this regard is that all four of those centuries came in winning causes while scoring 1000-odd runs on the way. Graeme Smith is the only batsman to have achieved this feat.

Graeme Smith's top five fourth-innings scores
Runs	Balls faced	Average	Opposition
154*	246	62.6	England
125*	203	61.57	New Zealand
108	147	73.46	Australia
101*	140	72.14	Australia
85	79	107.59	West Indies

The aforementioned scores attest to the prowess that Graeme Smith possessed when it came to a fourth-innings performance. As an opener, he stayed unbeaten through three of these performances. Moreover, the Proteas won every one of the matches on this list, with the skipper winning the Man of the Match award only twice. Meanwhile, three of his four Test tons in the fourth innings came away from home, at Wellington, Edgbaston and Perth.

However, there is one particular fourth innings performance of Graeme Smith that takes the cake. It came in a 103-run loss to Australia in their third Test after wrapping up the series 2-0 -- their first series win in Australia in 16 years. Playing during the Sydney Test whilst touring Australia in 2009, after having scored just 30 runs during the first innings, Graeme Smith was forced to retire with a broken left hand while facing Mitchell Johnson.

With his team facing an imminent loss on the last day of the Test, Smith came out at No. 11 to partner up with pacer Makhaya Ntini with the hopes of at least salvaging a draw. Playing with a borrowed kit, Smith rallied on till the very end. For the next 27 balls, Ntini and Smith played on the defence, and with Smith’s injury finally giving way, Mitchell Johnson managed to scalp his wicket with 10 balls to spare.

Such was the temperament and perseverance of one of the best Test batsmen and skipper that world cricket had ever seen.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Luigi Bennett

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

Graeme Smith is often rated as the best captain that international cricket has ever seen, and rightfully so. South Africa were always among the top teams in world cricket but under Graeme Smith, they established themselves as a force to reckon with. He was pushed into the limelight at the young age of 22 and went on to captain the Proteas for 11 years.

During his time as the Proteas�?skipper, he established himself as the best. With his 53 Test wins, he is the most successful Test captain while also being the only skipper to register 50 Test wins when he crossed Ricky Ponting's 48 Test victories. He is also the only player to captain a team in 100 Tests.

Currently the director of Cricket South Africa, Smith was considered one of the best fourth-innings batsmen of his time. On this note, let’s have a look at the top five Test knocks by this Proteas legend:

259 vs England - Lord's (August 2003)

Graeme Smith had a strong record against England; out of his 27 Test centuries, most were against England and West Indies. After scoring a record-breaking 277 at Edgbaston in England during his first tour of the country as skipper in 2003, he backed it up with one of South Africa’s biggest victories against England, all at the ripe age of 22.

At the legendary Lord’s stadium in London, Graeme Smith’s 259 was recorded in 370 balls at a rate of 70.00. Chasing England’s meagre first innings score of 173, Graeme Smith set up a strong partnership with Gary Kirsten, who was playing his last Test. The Proteas declared the score at 682/6, while a strong bowling performance by Makhaya Ntini ensured that the South Africans won the game by an innings and 92 runs.

154* vs England - Birmingham (July 2008)

Graeme Smith has scored a total of 1611 in 41 fourth innings at a rate of 51.96, including four centuries. One of those centuries came against England. Already leading the series 2-0 going into the third Test, Smith opened the batting for the Proteas but saw his side slump to 93/4 while chasing England’s 281 for the win.

He set up a small yet important 73-run partnership with AB de Villiers, and after the loss of the latter’s wicket, he teamed up with wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, who scored 45 himself to lead his side to a five-wicket victory over their rivals in Birmingham. The win, coupled with a captain’s innings from Graeme Smith, was even more significant as South Africa had won their first series in England after 43 years.

108 vs Australia - Perth (December 2008)

Australia and South Africa always put on a show for their fans whenever they faced off against each other in any format of the game. South Africa’s tour of Australia in 2008 was no different, with the skipper playing a key role through the series as South Africa meted out the first home defeat for their opponents in 16 years.

Known for his prowess in the fourth innings of a Test match, Smith scored 108 runs in 147 balls while chasing Austalia’s target of 414, scoring at a rate of 73.46. His tally set up the run chase comfortably for AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs, who scored 106 and 50 runs respectively to help their side take a one-match lead in the series.

*Special mention*

Although South Africa had wrapped up an ecstatic Test series win against Australia in the second Test, the third Test is more memorable for cricket fans. With the score reading 257/9, Graeme Smith stepped onto the pitch with a broken hand in a bid to play the remaining 8.2 overs and help his side secure a draw, if not a win.

However, it was not to be, with Mitchell Johnson scalping the legend with 1.4 overs left. Although Australia won the match by 103 runs, Graeme Smith’s undying spirit was commended worldwide.

148 vs. West Indies - Port of Spain (April 2005)

Along with his many personal records and accolades, Graeme Smith has the special distinction of not losing a single Test match when he scored a century. Of his 27 Test centuries, seven were scored against the West Indies, with five of them coming in winning causes. He scored the first of these centuries on a tour of West Indies.

Read | Sachin Tendulkar’s best innings in Test matches

Another legend of the game, Brian Lara, led his team to a first innings score of 347 while his Windies teammates struggled to go past 40 runs. In response, Graeme Smith played on at a snail’s pace, scoring 148 runs in 313 balls at a strike rate of 47.28. This was while the South African batsmen crumbled around him.

Thanks to a brilliant show by Makhaya Ntini in the second innings, South Africa went on to win the game by eight wickets.

234 vs Pakistan - UAE (October 2013)    

Facing Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, this particular series is dear to many cricket fans as it marked the last of Graeme Smith’s great innings as a batsman.

South Africa were looking for revenge after losing the first Test in the two-match series. Smith led his side from the front after the Pakistan batting order was dismantled for just 99. He scored 234 runs in 388 balls at a strike rate of 60.30. While the others around him collapsed, he set up a formidable partnership with AB de Villiers, leading South Africa to a more than respectable score of 517.

Read | Top five Test knocks by AB de Villiers

South Africa went on to win the game by an innings and 92 runs, with Smith proving his doubters wrong till his retirement in 2014 against Australia.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Philip Brown