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BokMagic
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Proteas allrounder Shaun Pollock has announced his retirement from international cricket at the end of the current series against the Windies.
Polly has played for SA in 108 tests, taking to date 420 test wickets at 23 runs apiece, and 3781 runs at 32. He`s also taken 387 ODI wickets at present, and will have 4 more ODI`s in the upcoming series.
Known for his uncanny line just outside offstump, he has lost a lot of pace over the years, although none of the control and guile. So he ended up losing out on a regular test spot for the last 12 months, although he`s still remained a fixture in the ODI side.
Naurally respected, pretty laid back and with a very underapreciated dry sense of humour, he was a natural choice to succeed Hansie Cronje as Proteas skipper in the wake of the match-fixing scandal. He had some initial success, winning a 3-match ODI series down under 2-1, but ended up on the wrong end of a 3-0 test series drubbing in Oz, before SA ended up bowing out in the 1st round of the CWC in 2003 on home soil, which ended his reign as captain.
So a pretty special career it was, having had considerable individual success against all comers, although the absence of a CWC winner`s medal and team success against England in England and Australia anywhere continued to elude him.
Thanks for the years of yeoman service, for the runs, the wickets, the catches, the moments and the memories. And thanks for always playing your cricket in the spirit of the game. Well done mate, have a cold one or 12!
Polly has played for SA in 108 tests, taking to date 420 test wickets at 23 runs apiece, and 3781 runs at 32. He`s also taken 387 ODI wickets at present, and will have 4 more ODI`s in the upcoming series.
Known for his uncanny line just outside offstump, he has lost a lot of pace over the years, although none of the control and guile. So he ended up losing out on a regular test spot for the last 12 months, although he`s still remained a fixture in the ODI side.
Naurally respected, pretty laid back and with a very underapreciated dry sense of humour, he was a natural choice to succeed Hansie Cronje as Proteas skipper in the wake of the match-fixing scandal. He had some initial success, winning a 3-match ODI series down under 2-1, but ended up on the wrong end of a 3-0 test series drubbing in Oz, before SA ended up bowing out in the 1st round of the CWC in 2003 on home soil, which ended his reign as captain.
So a pretty special career it was, having had considerable individual success against all comers, although the absence of a CWC winner`s medal and team success against England in England and Australia anywhere continued to elude him.
Thanks for the years of yeoman service, for the runs, the wickets, the catches, the moments and the memories. And thanks for always playing your cricket in the spirit of the game. Well done mate, have a cold one or 12!
