GRAEME Smith did not take painkillers before heading to the crease in what is being hailed as one of cricket's most courageous acts. The South African skipper revealed he had to be dressed by his teammates before batting in excruciating pain with a broken finger and a troublesome right elbow to try to salvage a draw in an astonishing climax to the SCG Test.
His incredible effort was in vain. Smith felt the jarring pain of 17 balls over 26 minutes before being the last man out, bowled by Mitchell Johnson with just 10 balls remaining in fading light. South Africa's Captain Courageous was in so much pain he was not able to lift the trophy to celebrate his side's historic 2-1 series win. After Australia tasted the relief of a 103-run win, skipper Ricky Ponting headed straight to Smith and told his opposite number it was one of the bravest things he had seen on a sporting field.
"I said that to him after the game," Ponting said. "That showed a lot of courage. That's what every team looks to from their leader." "To show that fighting spirit, to stand up when they are needed, to get out and do a job no matter how sore or tired you might be."
Smith, who had not even brought his cricket whites to the ground, ignored medical advice not to bat. He borrowed Jacques Kallis's shirt and a burger-stained sweater from Paul Harris and chose not to take any pain medication for his broken finger. "I don't think anything would have helped . . . I couldn't have taken an injection in the area anyway," Smith said. "I didn't expect to go out. I think deep inside I didn't really want to go out there. "I had Morne (Morkel) dressing me and putting my shoes on and putting on my pads. I decided I was going to go and give it my best shot, if I got a first-baller at least I tried. "Once we lost a few wickets I decided I was going to go out from about 20 odd overs. "Obviously there was a lot of pain. I was grateful that I never got a knock. "One ball hit the bat and I thought 'That was one out of the way'." Smith wore a reinforced plastic protector for his hand and was only able to put his glove on when he demolished it with scissors. "There was a little protector for the glove and we cut the glove a bit so we could keep the fingers together," he said.
Smith, who had not even brought his cricket whites to the ground, ignored medical advice not to bat. He borrowed Jacques Kallis's shirt and a burger-stained sweater from Paul Harris and chose not to take any pain medication for his broken finger. "I don't think anything would have helped . . . I couldn't have taken an injection in the area anyway," Smith said. "I didn't expect to go out. I think deep inside I didn't really want to go out there. "I had Morne (Morkel) dressing me and putting my shoes on and putting on my pads. I decided I was going to go and give it my best shot, if I got a first-baller at least I tried. "Once we lost a few wickets I decided I was going to go out from about 20 odd overs. "Obviously there was a lot of pain. I was grateful that I never got a knock. "One ball hit the bat and I thought 'That was one out of the way'." Smith wore a reinforced plastic protector for his hand and was only able to put his glove on when he demolished it with scissors. "There was a little protector for the glove and we cut the glove a bit so we could keep the fingers together," he said.
Former Australian spin king Shane Warne could not believe his eyes when his former foe walked to the crease. "It was just unbelievable when he did that. That was just amazing courage to stand there for his team," the Channel 9 commentator said.
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