Smith reveals all (or most) in new book

Graeme Smith is pleased to be able to share with thousands of Proteas fans the many highs and occasional lows he has experienced at the helm of the Proteas team over the last two years.

Smith's new book, A Captain's Diary 2007-2009, received a glitzy launch at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday, as the who's who of South African cricket gathered to share the occasion with the record-breaking captain.

"It's not a day-to-day diary as such. Since taking over as national captain at the age of 22 there have been a lot of good moments and a lot of frustrating moments along the way and it's just good to be able to share this with the public," enthused Smith in his opening address at the event.

The publication takes readers on a literary journey through South Africa's October 2007 tour of Pakistan, the November-December home series against New Zealand, the home Test and ODI series against the West Indies, their stints on the sub-continent from February to March 2008, the historic series with hosts England in July-August and the string of one-dayers against Kenya and Bangladesh before the epic journey Down Under and the return home series against the Aussies. It is, indeed, a momentous read and offers insight into the South African set-up far beyond its 242 pages.

Smith offered inside information into the writing process at the launch and duly touched on several of the book's key chapters, identifying the home series against the Kiwis as team management's realisation that the way forward would be without the services of veteran all-rounder Shaun Pollock.

"That was the first time we really decided that we were going to go for a specific style of play where we were going to give the top six batsmen more responsibility and try and get together a bowling attack that we thought, down the line, was going to be a successful unit on the upcoming tours of England and Australia. So, coming home to play New Zealand was sort of a consolidation period of all those changes we had made," said Smith.

"I had sleepless nights about Shaun being left out of the team. I knew that if things did not work out and the other guys didn't bowl well everyone would be on our backs. He is a guy that I have a huge amount of respect for - as a cricketer and a person - so to make a decision like that was not easy but the time was the right time for the team to make the shift. Thank goodness guys like Dale Steyn and the various other seamers we had over that period of time performed well."

South Africa won both Tests against Daniel Vettori's men before going on to give Pollock a fitting farewell in the five one-dayers against the Windies by whitewashing them five-nil.

"We wanted to give Shaun the right send-off, so there was a little bit of pressure going into that ODI series against the West Indies. We shared in the emotions with Polly," enthused Smith.

"I think he was very drained but it was great to win that and give him the right goodbye. I think he is very satisfied that he finished his career on his own terms. From my perspective that was wonderful and, especially for some of the younger guys, that was special. I remember at the fines meeting after the match he managed to get everyone of us a milkshake - Polly's drink of choice - so it was nice to share those moments with him."

With an admirable series draw against India in India and a drubbing of Bangladesh added to their successes against Pakistan, the Black Caps and the Windies, the