Graeme Smith retires
Graeme Smith's career in pictures
In March 2002, at the age of 21, Graeme Smith debuted in Test cricket, against Australia in Cape Town. He managed just 3 in the first innings but impressed with 68 in the second, against an attack that included Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Shane Warne and Brett Lee•Getty Images
Less than three months after Smith scored
the first of his five Test double-hundreds, he and Herschelle Gibbs put on 368 in partnership
against Pakistan in Cape Town. At that time, it was the South African record for any wicket•Jack Lestrade/Peter J Heeger
Smith's first ODI ton took a while coming. It came in his 59th ODI, in February 2005, when he
scored 105 to help South Africa chase down 268 against England in Port Elizabeth•Getty Images
World Cup 2007 rolled around and with it came more big-event disappointment for South Africa. Their quest for a maiden World Cup title ended with their collapse in the
semi-final, against Australia. Smith was first man out, for 2, in that match •Getty Images
Another landmark Test victory: South Africa's first in Australia. In
Perth Smith scored 108 in a chase of 414 - the second-highest in Tests. In Melbourne, he hit two fifties. In Sydney, South Africa lost but Smith was still the hero, batting at No. 11 with a broken hand (in pic) to save the match; he lasted half an hour, but was bowled five minutes from stumps•PA Photos
At The Oval, in July 2012, Smith played his 100th Test. He became the seventh player to score a century in his 100th Test. South Africa won the match. They went on to win the series 2-0, to dethrone England as the No. 1 ranked Test team •AFP
The last of Smith's doubles. He scored 234 against Pakistan in October 2013, and put on a 326-run stand with AB de Villiers to equal Don Bradman's record for the batsman involved in the most (five) triple-century partnerships•Associated Press
As South Africa looked to make a fresh start after their heartbreaking exit from World Cup 2003, Smith was named captain, in both formats, barely a year after his debut. He was off to a winning start in Tests, with South Africa beating Bangladesh by an innings in Chittagong•Getty Images
Another sterling series from Smith, in March-April 2005, when he hit three centuries in consecutive Tests to aggregate
505 at 84.16, helping South Africa to a 2-0 Test victory against West Indies in the Caribbean•Getty Images
In February 2008, Smith scored his fourth Test double-ton in yet another record opening partnership: he scored 232 out of a stand of 415 with Neil McKenzie, the best for the first wicket in Test cricket. The record was a highlight in South Africa's 2-0 thumping of Bangladesh in Bangladesh •AFP
During the course of a drawn Test against Pakistan in November 2010, Smith recorded his 22nd Test hundred and went past Gary Kirsten's aggregate of 7289 runs to go second on South Africa's batting charts, behind Jacques Kallis•AFP
In another fight for the No. 1 ranking later that year, in Australia, South Africa once again came out on top. Smith scored a second-innings 84 to in the third Test, in Perth, to set up South Africa's series-deciding win. A delighted Smith got to keep his hands on the ICC mace•Getty Images
On March 3, 2014, during the course of Cape Town Test against Australia, Smith announced his retirement from international cricket. The next day, he walked out to bat one last time. He could only manage 3, as South Africa fought but failed to save the match. He finished with 9265 runs in 117 Tests at 48.25. The last of his 197 ODIs was played on November 27, 2013•AFP
In the summer of 2003, Smith produced a career-defining performance in England. His series aggregate of 714, at 79.33, included two double-centuries, in the first and second Tests. The 277 he hit in Birmingham was, at that point, South Africa's best Test score. They could not win the series though, drawing 2-2•AFP
The greatest ODI ever played. In Johannesburg, on March 12, 2006, in the series decider, Australia posted 434 for 4. South Africa responded with 438 for 9 in 49.5 overs. Smith set the pace for the stunning chase with 90 off 55•Getty Images
One of Smith's best moments as batsman and captain. He scored 154 not out
at Edgbaston, in August 2008, to help South Africa chase down 281 and thus record their first Test series in England since 1965. In the photo, he is being mobbed by his team-mates after hitting the winning runs•Getty Images
Smith gave up the ODI captaincy following another World Cup disappointment. South Africa exited World Cup 2011 at the quarter-final stage, after failing to chase 222 against New Zealand •Associated Press
In February 2013, Smith became the first person to captain a team in 100 Tests, when he led South Africa against Pakistan in Johannesburg. In the photo, a fan signs a giant shirt in a shopping mall, put up as a part of the celebrations•ESPNcricinfo Ltd