High praise for Smith from Gavaskar

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has praised Graeme Smith for his leadership skills following the Proteas’ innings victory over their hosts in the first test match that finished at Nagpur on Tuesday.

“There was obviously a lot of turmoil in the South African camp following the departure of the coach and the sacking of the selection committee,” commented Gavaskar. “Smith may not have got runs in this test match but the way he pulled the team together to play such competitive and intense cricket on all four days says a lot about his leadership skills.”

Gavaskar also described Dale Steyn, one of the Proteas’ match winners, as one of the best exponents of late reverse swing he had seen since Indian superstar Kapil Dev.

Kapil is regarded as India’s best allrounder and opening bowler of all time. For a while he held the record as the leading test wicket taker with 434 dismissals before he was overtaken by Courtney Walsh of the West Indies who became the first bowler to take more than 500 wickets.

Steyn currently has 195 wickets in only 37 test matches. Clarrie Grimmett, the Australian leg spinner of the 1930s, is the fastest to 200 wickets in 36 matches while Dennis Lillee of Australia and Waqar Younis of Pakistan (both 38) are the next best.

Allan Donald is the fastest South African to date (42 matches).

Steyn’s current strike rate of 38.9 is the fourth fastest of all time. Of modern bowlers only Shane Bond of New Zealand (38.7) has done better.