Alasdair Fraser looks back on Proteas legend Hashim Amla’s career.
An icon of Proteas cricket, a man who had his very own dedicated army and an accumulator of runs with industrial precision.
Hashim Amla has retired. Yes, let that sink in. End of an era. South African cricket – Test cricket especially – has lost their anchor.
I fondly remember Amla becoming the first South African of Indian descent to represent South Africa in international cricket in 2004.
Like Dale Steyn’s debut in 2004, I was in Scotland working in a fancy kitchen trying to hustle to find a pub that screened cricket. I missed Amla’s debut but got to see Steyn’s first Test wicket.
But Amla’s debut was poignant. Given Durban’s close ties with India, it was fitting that the ‘Hash’ made his first foray into Test cricket in the cauldron of Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
The Proteas were going through a rebuilding phase (like now?) and struggled against the home side.
Amla’s first couple of Tests didn’t set the world alight and he went back to the drawing board to hone his craft.
As his trademark beard took shape, so did his form as he topped the 4-Day scoring charts with ease.
It led to an inevitable recall and one of the finest-crafted, elbow-greased 149 seen at Newlands against 2006 touring New Zealanders.
It saved the match as the Proteas were staring down a rare defeat against the Black Caps. It also saved his career.
Amla would go on to forge a successful career, which will long be remembered in the annals of Test cricket.
His triple century against England in 2012 will always leave a high-water mark in what was a dignified and disciplined international career.
Thank you, the mighty Hash. The war may be over, but your army will remain loyal to the cause.
Photo: Cricket South Africa/Twitter
