 Ex-South African cricket skipper Shaun Pollock bids adieu to international cricket
at the end of the current West Indies tour of South Africa in what would be big
loss for the cricketing fraternity. The South African all rounder has played a
vital part in the re-organization of post-Apartheid South African cricket and
has been with the national side through thick and thin .Pollock retires from the
South African colours with a national record of 420 test wickets and 386 One day
international wickets and the world cricket mourns the retirement of one crickets
finest gentleman and brand ambassador.
Rumours of Pollock’s retirement were floating after he was dropped from
the national side for the first time in twelve years during South Africa’s
cricket tour to Pakistan late last year and the inclusion of Pollock in South
Africa’s last test against the West Indies cricket team gave Pollock the
perfect chance to bid goodbye to international test cricket at his favourite
hunting ground Kingsmead.
Shaun Pollock belong to an illustrious cricketing family that has given South
African cricket many legends like uncle Graeme Pollock and father Peter
Pollock, the lanky all rounder made his debut in 1995 and has gone on to
become one of the finest players to don South African cricketing colours. With
Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock formed a lethal fast bowling combination
in the late 90’s and won many a match for South Africa with his outstanding
accurate seam bowling. Despite not being the fastest bowler around, Pollock
more than made up for his limitations with nagging line and length coupled with
excellent seam bowling and his accuracy with the new bell made him one of the
most economical new ball bowlers around. Shaun Pollock will most likely retire
from international one day cricket as one of the rare bowlers who had an economy
rate of below four runs per over.
Perhaps the only disappointment in a long and fruitful career for the South
African pro will be the lack of World Cup success. Pollock was a part of the
South African team that was so cruelly denied by the Australian cricket
team in the 1999 World Cup. After the disgraceful exit of Hansie Cronje
due to match fixing allegations, Pollock was given the reins of the national
side which he held till their disastrous 2003 world cup campaign at home
when they failed to even make it past the qualifying stages. Despite being stripped
of his captaincy, Pollock remained thoroughly professional and has helped another
generation of fine South African fast bowlers to evolve and his contribution
to South African cricket will always be remembered by millions of cricket fans
through the world who have been following South African cricket live online.
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