GRAEME SMITH BIDS FAREWELL

Not numbers that will remembered with the same sentiment as 277, 259 or 234 - Graeme Smith's most significant double-hundreds - but ones that could resonate as much. Those are the statistics of his final Test innings.

Following last night's announcement, he looked as though the load had already left him in the field. He was sauntering about while David Warner was mounting a challenge so steep, it would require South Africa's best mountaineering effort to climb. When restricting Warner became impossible, Smith sent all his men to the boundary. He stationed himself at long on, where he signed autographs and took photographs while he peeped over his shoulder to see when the next ball would be bowled.

The Australians aborted their warm-ups when they saw Smith at the top of the dressing-room staircase. They formed two lines. The guard of honour. Smith skipped down onto the field and reached Michael Clarke. For the duration of a handshake, the two men were not on opposing sides. They were two cricketers and between them there was only respect.

Smith walked through the passage and to the pitch. His pitch. The pitch he has played on since he was 18 years old. There was no one else close to him because Australia were in a huddle and his opening partner, Alviro Petersen, was still far behind. Smith could take ownership of the strip one last time.