Shaun Pollock - a couple for not much

If you asked us whether we were angry or amazed about Shaun Pollock, on balance we'd have to say that we were angry.

He started off as a genuinely fast bowler and a batsman of pretty sizeable potential. As time has gone on, he's become slower and slower, eventually settling for being a bore 'em out line and length merchant. He's also never been given as much batting responsibility as he perhaps warrants. His Test average is 32, yet he bats at eight.

It's not really his fault that he's been South Africa's most reliable bowler in an era of bulging fixture lists. This is probably what's affected his bowling most. The massive workload had to take its toll. But regardless of the reasons, his bowling has declined from being dynamic and proactive, to being patient and geared towards others' mistakes. More boring, in other words.

It's also not his fault that he's asked to bat at eight, but it's this as much as anything that puts us off him. He seems emblematic of South Africa's innate cricketing conservatism. They always bat way down the order, much happier to draw matches than risk defeat.

Shaun Pollock took 2-13 off all ten overs against Pakistan today. That's why we're writing about him. That makes us amazed. You see it's not that we don't like him. He's just disappointed us over the years. He's disappointed and yet he's still one of South Africa's all-time greats.

To briefly return to South Africa's cricketing conservatism, we think Graeme Smith, as South Africa's captain, seems to be changing this attitude. We've got quite a bit of time for Graeme Smith, unlike many people.