Personal information
Full name / Robert Graeme Pollock
Born / 27 February 1944(age72)
Durban,Natal Province,Union of South Africa
Nickname / Little Dog
Height / 6ft 2in (188cm)
Batting style / Left-hand bat
Bowling style / Leg break
Role / Batsman
Relations / AMPollock(father),RHowden(uncle),PMPollock(brother),
RNicholson,CRNicholson(cousins),
AGPollock,GAPollock(sons),
SMPollock(nephew)
International information
National side /
- South Africa
Test debut(cap218) / 6 December 1963vAustralia
Last Test / 5 March 1970vAustralia
Domestic team information
Years / Team
1960/61–1977/78 / Eastern Province
1978/79–1986/87 / Transvaal
Career statistics
Competition / Test / First-class / List A
Matches / 23 / 262 / 119[1]
Runs scored / 2256 / 20940 / 4788
Batting average / 60.97 / 54.67 / 51.48
100s/50s / 7/11 / 64/99 / 13/25
Top score / 274 / 274 / 222*
Robert Graeme Pollock(born 27 February 1944) is a formercricketerforSouth Africa,TransvaalandEastern Province. A member of a famous cricketing family,Pollock is widely regarded as South Africa's greatest cricketer,and as one of the finest batsmen to have played Test cricket.Despite Pollock's international career being cut short at the age of 26 by thesporting boycott of South Africa, and all but one of his 23 Test matches being againstEnglandandAustralia, the leading cricket nations of the day,he broke a number of records. His completed career Test matchbatting averageof 60.97 remains second only to SirDonald Bradman.
Pollock has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including being voted in 1999 as South Africa'sCricketer of the 20th Century,one of Wisden'sCricketers of the Yearin 1966,as well as being retrospectively selected in 2007 as theWisden Leading Cricketer in the Worldin 1967 and 1969. In South Africa he was player of the year in 1961 and 1984, with special tributes in the S.A. Cricket annuals of 1977 and 1987. Bradman described Pollock, along with SirGarfield Sobers, as the best left-handed batsman he had ever seen play cricket.
Youth and early career
Pollock was born into a Scottish family inDurban,Natal Province,Union of South Africaon 27 February 1944. His father,Andrew, was a formerfirst-class cricketerwithOrange Free StateAs a youth, Pollock earned the nicknameLittle Dog:[
The name arose when his brother [Peter], with voice still unbroken, made queer-sounding appeals forl.b.w. that sounded like a dog barking, and called himPooch. When Graeme joined the provincial eleven they becameBig DogandLittle Dog.
Pollock attendedGrey High School—a noted sporting school inPort Elizabeth—where he was coached by Sussex professionalGeorge Cox.In his first match for Grey Junior, aged 9, he took all ten wickets before scoring 117not out.At one stage, he hit a six into a neighbouring cemetery and had to fetch the ball himself.He was selected for his first match for the schoolFirst XIas a leg spinner, taking six wickets for five runs.At 15, Pollock was selected to represent South Africa schoolboys.
In 1960, aged 16 and still attendingGrey High School, Pollock was chosen to appear forEastern Province.Hisfirst-class cricketdebut was againstBorderat theJan Smuts GroundinEast London, where he made 54 runs before beingrun out. He then went on to take two wickets in Border's second innings.Later that season he scored his maiden first-classcentury, scoring 102 againstTransvaal B, becoming the youngest South African to score a first-class century.Pollock played five matches for EP in his debut season, scoring 384 runs at anaverageof 48.00.In 1961, while visiting Britain with his parents, he played six matches with theSussexSecond XI.
In the1962–63 South African season, Pollock finished second in the averages, scoring 839 runs including three centuries at an average of 69.66.The highlight of his season was scoring 209 not out for an Eastern Province Invitational XI against theInternational Cavaliers, which included bowlers such asRichie BenaudandGraham McKenzie.Benaud was to describe the innings as "magnificent", later saying "I knew I was watching a champion.Aged 19, Pollock was the youngest South African to score a double-century in first-class cricket.
Test career
Debut in Australia
Pollock was 19 when he was selected for the1963–64 South African cricket team's tour of Australia.He had a disappointing start to the tour, making 1 and 0 againstWestern Australia, dismissed twice by McKenzieHe recovered in the next match scoring 127 not out against aWestern Australia Combined XI.He made his Test debut atThe GabbainBrisbanemaking 25 in a rain-interrupted match before again being dismissed by McKenzie. The match was an infamous one with the Australian bowlerIan Meckiffno-balledforthrowing, effectively ending his career.Pollock was not successful in the Second Test at theMelbourne Cricket Ground, making 16 and 2 as South Africa were heavily defeated by eight wickets.
Pollock's performances in the first two Tests of the series raised questions over the youngster's place, but, in the third Test inSydney, Pollock made 122 in South Africa’s first innings. Bradman commented: "Next time you decide to play like that, send me a telegram".At 19 years and 317 days he became the youngest South African to score a Test century, a record that still standsInAdelaide, in the fourth Test, Pollock andEddie Barlowshared a South African third-wicket record partnership of 341; Pollock hitting 175 and Barlow 201. South Africa won the Test by 10 wickets to level the series 1–1. Pollock finished his maiden series with 399 runs to his name, at an average of 57.00. During Pollock's innings of 17 in the drawn fifth Test, he suffered an injury which resulted in him missing the first two Tests of the New Zealand tour which followed.
Home and away against England
England toured South Africa in 1964–65 under the captaincy ofMike Smith. Pollock was selected in all five Tests against the tourists. England won the First Test atKingsmeadconvincingly by an innings and 104 runs, with Pollock making 5 and a first ballduck.The remaining Tests were all drawn.In the final Test atSt George's Park, Pollock made 137 in the first innings, withWisden Cricketers' Almanackdescribing it as "a splendid century, distinguished by many drives past cover and mid-on.In the second, he made an unbeaten 77.In the Tests, Pollock made 459 runs at an average of 57.37.
Pollock was included totour England with the South African team in 1965. In the Second Test atTrent Bridge, Pollock made 125, an innings he described in his autobiography as his best.He made his runs out of 160 added in 140 minutes, the last 91 of his runs coming in 70 minutes. He had come in at 16/2, and the score had declined to 80/5, before his partnerships with the captainPeter van der Merweand withRichard Dumbrillenabled the score to reach 269.John Woodcockwrote inThe Cricketer, "Not since Bradman's day could anyone recall having seen an English attack treated in such cavalier style." while the same correspondent inThe Timessaid, "I can think of no innings played against England since the [Second World] war which was so critical and commanding: I can think of none more beautifully played.E.W. Swantonwrote inThe Daily Telegraphthat it was an innings "which in point of style and power, of ease and beauty of execution is fit to rank with anything in the annals of the game."In the second innings, Pollock scored 59. It was a notable match for the Pollock brothers; older brotherPetertook 10 wickets in total as South Africa won the match and, therefore, the three Test series 1–0His performances during that English season saw him named as one of theWisden Cricketers of the Yearin 1966, acclaimed as "one of the most accomplished batsmen in contemporary cricket".