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| October 16, 2003 | Thursday | Sha'aban 19, 1424 |
Losing captaincy was bitter experience: Pollock
LAHORE, Oct 15: South Africa’s Shaun Pollock has no retirement plans after putting the disappointment of losing the captaincy behind him, he said on Wednesday.
“It was a bitter experience losing the captaincy, and that we didn’t perform up to potential in the World Cup. But one has to learn to cope with adversity and accept responsibility. I have done that,” Pollock said.
“It is not nice to be forced out of a job, specially when there is so much pride and prestige involved in it,” the 30-year-old all-rounder said.
Pollock was removed as captain after South Africa’s early exit from the World Cup they hosted earlier this year. he has been replaced by Graeme Smith.
“There is a lot less responsibility now. I have been able to focus on my game and focus on helping the youngsters in the side for the good of South African cricket,” he said.
“It has been a new role for me in the team and I have settled into it. It was in the interest of South African cricket that we all got behind Smith.”
Pollock, who has appeared in 74 Tests and 203 One-day Internationals and completed 300 Test wickets on South Africa’s recent tour of England, said he had set no particular targets for himself.
“I don’t put too much pressure on myself in that way. I look at helping the side do well and if it is doing that, you are going to achieve records.”
He remained non-committal about his retirement plans, saying he felt good and was enjoying his cricket.
“But I don’t know if I would be around in the 2007 World Cup. I take my career game by game. So I don’t look too much forward to the next World Cup or the future.”
Pollock, born in Port Elizabeth, comes from a renowned cricketing family. His uncle Graeme Pollock was a great batsman and his father Peter Pollock was South Africa’s finest bowler in the 1960s.
Pollock said he accepted the change after his side failed to progress beyond the first round in this year’s World Cup with his country as one of three host countries.
“I think you got some standards and if I was not the right man going forward, you have to accept that.
“You can’t be the right choice every time and we didn’t play up to our potential in the World Cup.”
South Africa beat Pakistan in both Tests in their country last year and won a three-match series here in 1997-98.
They play the first of two Tests in Lahore from Friday. The second Test will be played at Faisalabad from Oct 24 to 28.—Reuters/AFP
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