Hashim Amla said on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) he was stepping aside as South Africa's Test captain with immediate effect, a day after a double century rescued his country from possible defeat in the second Test against England.
The 32-year-old made the surprise announcement just minutes after the Test at Newlands ended in draw and after Amla had led a fightback to haul his team from a precarious position.
AB de Villiers will take over as captain for the last two Tests against England.
"Naturally this decision is not an easy one but the more I think about it the more I believe I can be of greater value to the Proteas as a fully focused batsman and senior player at this time or rebuilding our team," Amla told reporters.
"I will continue to give my all to the team."
Amla said he had been considering quitting over the last fortnight, even before the start of the series against England and the loss of the first Test by 241 runs in Durban last week.
"It's a bit of relief," he said.
Amla captained South Africa for 14 Tests with four wins, six draws and four defeats. South Africa, despite being the top-ranked Test nation, have not won in their last eight Tests stretching back to more than a year and Amla's form has suffered.
He scored 251 Test runs in 2015 but seemed to have got right the balance of making runs and captaining the team with a double century on Tuesday as his stoic performance rescued his side from the possibility of going 2-0 down in the series.
"We respect Hashim's decision and the manner in which he thought about it and then communicated with me. He still has a huge role to play in shaping the success of our team without the need for a leadership title.
"He is just that type of a person and we are very fortunate to have him in our stable," Cricket South Africa chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat said.
South Africa lost the first Test against England last week by 241 runs and play the next two in Johannesburg and Pretoria. The third Test at the Wanderers starts on January 14.
"It's a bit of a shock. I haven't got anything to say," England captain Alastair Cook said reacting to the news.
Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/c ... z3wVFcsU8D
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team before self
team before self
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: team before self
Nice post, Gob - Philistines notwithstanding. Amla has done so much for SA cricket; how welcome that some kind of giant sports ego doesn't get in the way of working for the team
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
Re: team before self
A lesson I feared would be lost on Jim 
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: team before self
Baseball has been thrilling the United States for many years
(note the photobomb!)
(note the photobomb!)
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
Re: team before self
More thrilling in some places than in others...
And what exactly is it that this poster boy for the No-Fly List is supposed to have "sacrificed" anyway? Is there extra pay involved in being the team captain? If not, it looks to me like all he's done is get rid of whatever additional responsibilities that came with the title, and reduce the level to which he can be blamed when the team loses...
Reducing one's workload and blame level isn't exactly an act of "selflessness"...
And what exactly is it that this poster boy for the No-Fly List is supposed to have "sacrificed" anyway? Is there extra pay involved in being the team captain? If not, it looks to me like all he's done is get rid of whatever additional responsibilities that came with the title, and reduce the level to which he can be blamed when the team loses...
Reducing one's workload and blame level isn't exactly an act of "selflessness"...
Re: team before self
Jim--if I'm not wrong, I think a captain in cricket is like a coach or onfield manager as well as a player, and comes with a great deal of prestige (well as much as you can get from playing cricket). My guess is that it would be like an aging star baseball player agreeing to step down from playing every day (or giving up a position in the batting order) or possible as a head football (American football, for Meade) coach agreement to become the defensive coordinator and remain with the team. I guess he could have insisted on remaining as the captain, but decided to voluntarily step aside and let someone else lead. From the article, I'd gather this doesn't happen very often, and I'd venture to guess he did it for the "best of the team" and not to reduce his workload.
Re: team before self
"Poster boy for the No-Fly List?" How Trumpian of you.Lord Jim wrote:More thrilling in some places than in others...
And what exactly is it that this poster boy for the No-Fly List is supposed to have "sacrificed" anyway? Is there extra pay involved in being the team captain? If not, it looks to me like all he's done is get rid of whatever additional responsibilities that came with the title, and reduce the level to which he can be blamed when the team loses...
Reducing one's workload and blame level isn't exactly an act of "selflessness"...
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg, paraphrasing Sarah Moore Grimké
Re: team before self
Spock exemplified it better.
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Bicycle Bill
- Posts: 9826
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Re: team before self
Guinevere —
He's right — as challenged party, you have the choice of weapons. May I suggest that you select balloons — and blunderbusses?
(and before you ask — yes, there is a precedent!)
Not to mention, no matter what happens, someone might write a song about it and you both will become mildly famous.....
-"BB"-
He's right — as challenged party, you have the choice of weapons. May I suggest that you select balloons — and blunderbusses?
(and before you ask — yes, there is a precedent!)
Not to mention, no matter what happens, someone might write a song about it and you both will become mildly famous.....
-"BB"-
Yes, I suppose I could agree with you ... but then we'd both be wrong, wouldn't we?
Re: team before self
we seem to have a new word in our lexicon...
"trumpian"
the trumpian candidate has been thoroughly borked
"trumpian"
the trumpian candidate has been thoroughly borked
BB. REALLY?
That story is just full of hot air.
“In a world whose absurdity appears to be so impenetrable, we simply must reach a greater degree of understanding among us, a greater sincerity.”
Re: team before self
I really like that image Ray...it would save me a lot of key strokes...
I think I may replace the Giants image in my sig line with it...(since they are no longer the World Champs)
ETA:
Damn, it won't fit...
But I did add a link for the DP initiative...
I think I may replace the Giants image in my sig line with it...(since they are no longer the World Champs)
ETA:
Damn, it won't fit...
But I did add a link for the DP initiative...
Last edited by Lord Jim on Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: team before self
Words, wit, and wisdom, s'il vous plait.Lord Jim wrote:How Trumpian of you.
As the one challenged, you have choice of weapon...
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg, paraphrasing Sarah Moore Grimké
Re: team before self
Well, okay...Words, wit, and wisdom, s'il vous plait.
But you'd have a much better chance with the pistols...
Re: team before self
"Says" the man going "neener, neener."
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg, paraphrasing Sarah Moore Grimké
Re: team before self
Use the pistols Guin, they're antiques and you won't need a background check.
Save the words, wit, and wisdom for his eulogy.
Save the words, wit, and wisdom for his eulogy.
Re: team before self
Representing one's country at sport is a great honour Jim. In a team sport, being chosen as captain of the team is an even greater honour. You Seppos wouldn't understand as you don't play your main sports at international level.Lord Jim wrote:More thrilling in some places than in others...
And what exactly is it that this poster boy for the No-Fly List is supposed to have "sacrificed" anyway? Is there extra pay involved in being the team captain? If not, it looks to me like all he's done is get rid of whatever additional responsibilities that came with the title, and reduce the level to which he can be blamed when the team loses...
Reducing one's workload and blame level isn't exactly an act of "selflessness"...
Why is it that when Miley Cyrus gets naked and licks a hammer it's 'art' and 'edgy' but when I do it I'm 'drunk' and 'banned from the hardware store'?