Editing Shaun Pollock (section)

==International career==
===Prominence===
He is joint 10th in the all-time best ever bowler ratings in the ICC Ratings,<ref>[http://www.lgiccrankings.com/test/bowling/all-time-ranking.php LG ICC Best-Ever Test Bowling Ratings]</ref> and has taken over 400 wickets and at the time of his retirement was one of only six players to have scored 3000 runs and taken 300 wickets in Test matches.

In June 2007 he represented an Africa XI in an [[One Day International|ODI]] game against an Asia XI in [[Bangalore]]. Playing as a specialist batsman, Pollock scored 130 from number 7 in the batting order, the highest ever score by an ODI batsman in that position.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/284242.html|title=Records – One-Day Internationals – Most runs in an innings (by batting position)|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref> The record would however not last long, [[MS Dhoni]] bettered it later in the series. In 2007, he received the SA Player's Player award and the SA ODI Player of the Year Award.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/pollock-gets-3-nominations-in-sa-cricket-awards/story-Wwcqns92X8k2noW0fFTbgP.html|title=Pollock gets 3 nominations in SA cricket awards|work=[[Hindustan Times]]|date=6 May 2007|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/story/_/id/22952144/pollock-named-south-african-cricketer-year|title=Pollock named South African Cricketer of the Year|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=10 May 2007|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref>

He was the leading wicket taker for South Africa in Tests until [[Dale Steyn]] overtook him on 26 December 2018. He took over 400 test wickets and scored over 3,700 test runs in his 108 Test matches.<ref name="Pollock dropped by South Africa">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/other_international/7018166.stm|title=Morkel injury hands Pollock hope|publisher=BBC News|date=29 September 2007|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/Sport/steyn-ties-pollock-atop-all-time-sa-wicket-taker-list-20180714|title=Steyn ties Pollock atop all-time SA wicket-taker list|publisher=Sport24|date=14 July 2018|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref>

===Captaincy===
Shaun Pollock was a bowling all-rounder. After [[Hansie Cronje]] was banned from cricket for life, Pollock took over the captaincy in April 2000. He was eventually removed from the captaincy after South Africa's performance in the 2003 Cricket World Cup.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149134.html|title=Cricket's darkest day|magazine=ESPNcricinfo|date=3 March 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Trent Bridge Cricket Ground - the first day of the 1998 Test Match - geograph.org.uk - 2273972.jpg|left|thumb|230px|Pollock batting for South Africa in 1998 at [[Trent Bridge]]]]
Although no longer captain, he retained his place in the team. After a disappointing Test series tour of Australia in 2005/2006, he faced criticism for losing his wicket taking ability. He has the lowest (best) economy rate of any bowler to have taken 300 ODI wickets,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BOWLING/ODI_BOWL_MOST_WKTS.html|title=Records – One-Day Internationals – Most wickets in career|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=1 September 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716072634/http://www.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BOWLING/ODI_BOWL_MOST_WKTS.html|archive-date=16 July 2007}}</ref> and he is also the first South African and only the tenth player to take 400 Test wickets. In September 2007 he was dropped from the South African test side for the first time in his career.<ref name="Pollock dropped by South Africa"/> Pollock was later readded to the test series against the [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]], whereupon he announced his retirement, effective on 3 February 2008. He stated that "I realise I have been blessed by God and feel I have nurtured my talents to the best of my abilities."<ref name=retire/> After South Africa sealed a series victory against the West Indies, Graeme Smith paid tribute to Pollock, stating "It's very important that people celebrate what he's given to South African cricket and what he's achieved as an individual."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7185255.stm|title=Smith salutes legendary Pollock|publisher=BBC News|date=12 January 2007|access-date=3 December 2022}}</ref>