Fan’s fond farewell to the brash barrel-chested Biff

OVER the years I have enjoyed watching Graeme Smith, Proteas batsman and captain — nicknamed Biff — stride out to bat. Crossing the white line open-chested with that famous miffed face, he seemed to send a message to the opposition: “I don’t care who you are, I am here to conquer.”

My eyes often followed him all the way to the crease as he planted that giant boot, using his spikes to mark his guard, apparently declaring that this crease is his home.

For an inelegant player he approached batting with admirable confidence and grit. It is this confidence, coupled with bucket-loads of arrogance, that made him a lethal opening batter and captain.

Smith is simply not a likeable guy. He is brash, confident, arrogant and perhaps carries too much weight (like me, but hey, I am not a sportsman). And he seemed not to care what the public or the opposition thought of him.

Nerves of steel made him a successful batsman and captain who conquered a cricketing world where the slightest hint of mental weakness is exploited by the opposition, often to the extent of ending captaincies and careers. Think Nasser Hussain, think Andrew Strauss. Hussain is the guy who in 2003 famously forgot Smith’s name, referring to the 22-year-old opposition captain as “whatshisname”— only for the English captain to fall on his sword after a successful Smithled Proteas away series.

Over the years Smith became a successful test player despite his dodgy batting technique.

He dangled his bat quite awkwardly and as a result many a clever pace bowler nicked him off. Oddly enough, his technical weaknesses were his strength too. He whacked the ball so hard with that massive GM bat, so much so that opposition bowlers often lost their concentration, delivering many balls with four written all over them. Biff duly cashed in and in the process transferred the pressure back to the bowling side.

He offended me — I am sure I was not alone — by displaying that trademark arrogance when he went on honeymoon immediately after another classic Proteas choking episode at the last 50-overs World Cup.

As team leader he should have led the rest of the team out of the plane to face the crowds waiting at OR Tambo.

But he gave me goose bumps when he went to bat in Sydney, Australia, broken hand and all. He removed a cast on his hand so he could bat. How proud I was! So, as Biff retires I will miss watching the barrelchested one walking out of the dressing room, crossing the white line oozing confidence.

His nerves of steel, pragmatic tactics, courage and insatiable hunger for success are some of his great qualities.

Selfish at times, but hell, I have seen few leaders in business and politics that could match his fearless determination. So, begrudgingly, I say farewell to a cricketer who was paradoxically not easy on the eye but successful nonetheless.