Graeme Smith

Graeme Craig Smith (born 1 February 1981) is a South African cricket commentator and former cricketer who played for South Africa in all formats.

Smith was also one of the South African Cricketers of the Year in the South African Cricket Annual for his performances in the 2001–02 South African cricket season.

In 2003, he was appointed captain of the national team, taking over from Shaun Pollock.

During South Africa's tour of England in 2003, he made double centuries in consecutive Test matches: 277 at Edgbaston, and 259 at Lord's.

His 259 at Lord's still holds the record for being the highest score made by a foreign player at this prestigious venue.

He has also played county cricket for Somerset in the 2005 English cricket season, captaining the club for part of the 2005 season, and he scored a century in a tour match against the Australians in preparation for the 2005 Ashes series.

Against Leicestershire at Taunton he scored his maiden first-class triple hundred (311 off 255 balls).

Known for the success of his opening partnership with Herschelle Gibbs, South Africa's most prolific ever opening partnership, Smith has the distinction of having been part of all four of South Africa's opening partnerships of over 300 runs: in three of them he was partnered by Gibbs, and in 2008 Smith added 415 for the first wicket with Neil McKenzie against Bangladesh, a world record opening partnership.

In 2008 Graeme Smith played in the inaugural Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals.

His opening partnership with Swapnil Asnodkar achieved significant success.

"You can know an opponent as a cricketer," Royals captain Shane Warne, with whom Smith had had multiple dustups in the past, wrote afterward, "but you only start to know him as a bloke when you play in the same side. As it turned out, the Graeme Smith I played alongside for the Rajasthan Royals in 2008 was different from the Graeme Smith I faced in the Test arena. That was the great thing about the Indian Premier League. It brought together players from all countries to share ideas, swap experiences, and take the game forward worldwide. We had a laugh and a joke about the things we had said in the past. They sounded quite funny looking back. I know he has a few regrets, but, all credit to him, he sees the funny side."

His highest score in ODI cricket which was his 141 he made against England in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy is also the highest score made by a South African at any tournaments.

He was the most capped captain ever when he played his (personally not captained) 102nd test against England.

He is considered as one of South Africa's greatest ever captains having led South Africa to a record 54 test victories.

A tall, left-handed opening batsman, Smith is regarded as one of the greatest openers of all time.

He latterly played for the Cape Cobras but due to his international commitments, his appearances for them were limited, his last first-class game for them being in 2010.

In total he has played 17 games for Western Province scoring 1,312 runs with four centuries at an average of 46.85.

He has also played for other teams in South Africa including the United Cricket Board of South Africa Invitation XI and Western Province Boland.

He also hit 105 in the Twenty20 Cup match against Northamptonshire, which is currently the 15th highest score in the domestic Twenty20 Cup competition.

Smith also captained the team to victory on finals day to secure the Twenty20 Cup trophy, making 64 not out from 47 balls in the final.

Smith married Irish singer Morgan Deane, at St Bernard Catholic Church in Claremont, Cape Town in August 2011.

He appeared in his 100th Test against England on 19 July 2012.

Their daughter, Cadence Christine Smith, was born 25 July 2012.

On 24 October 2013, Smith became the second South African and 12th overall to complete 9,000 runs in test cricket in his 112th test match.

He captained his 100th career Test match on 1 February 2013, against Pakistan, on his 32nd birthday.

He's the only player to captain a side in 100 Tests.

On September 9, 2022, Smith and Kallis announced partnerships with MCW as official ambassadors for cricket.

Most recently, Graeme Smith has been appointed as the SA20 League Commissioner.

Born and raised in Johannesburg to Scottish parents Graham and Janet, Smith was educated at King Edward VII School.

Smith played three Tests, and seven One Day Internationals for South Africa under-19s, of which five were during the Under 19 Cricket World Cup.

He scored one fifty in the test matches, but scored five half-centuries in the one-dayers.

and their son, Carter McMorrin Smith, was born on 15 July 2013.

He held the position of test captain until his retirement in 2014.

At 22, he was appointed as South Africa's youngest ever captain.

On 3 March 2014, during the third Test against Australia, he announced his retirement from international cricket.

He was also the overseas player and captain of the English side Surrey.

On 18 February 2015, Graeme and Morgan publicly announced that they would be divorcing after four years of marriage.

On 24 December 2016, Smith's girlfriend Romy Lanfranchi gave birth to Smith's third child, a boy.

Smith is also an ardent Liverpool F.C. supporter.

Graeme Smith has played for several cricket teams in South Africa.