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On a flat-as-a-pancake pitch in Dubai, Graeme Smith scored 100 in the first innings against Pakistan in November 2010, exactly a year ago. Since then, he had endured a slump of sorts, going through 8 innings without reaching the three-figure mark and aggregating just 224 runs at a none-too-impressive average of 28. Even bearing in mind that all but one of those 8 innings was concentrated in the November 2010 to January 2011 period, a mere 8 innings slump is not catastrophically worrisome. However, adding to his Test match woes, Smith has endured an abject year in ODIs as well. In 2011, he has scored runs at an average of 27.93 and a strike-rate of 65.16 - that's less than 4 runs an over. 

The form slump was real and it was worrisome. In the end, it needed Smith's favourite mode - a fourth innings chase in a Test match - to draw him out of it. A magnificent unbeaten 101 not out followed, to seal a Test that had swung wildly and needed stability more than anything else for one side to win. 

Smith's career average has gone back past 50 after his unbeaten century and stands at 50.30 now, but his average in the fourth innings of Tests is an astounding 56.92. In fact, among batsmen who have scored at least 1000 runs in fourth innings, Smith has the third best average of all time. If the criteria of 1000 runs is relaxed a little (so that the olden day stalwarts who scored prolifically but in an era when Tests were not as frequently played can be included) to 700 runs, Smith still shines, coming in at Number 6 overall. 

Best Averages in 4th Innings: (Minimum: 700 runs)

Player	Country	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	Highest	Average	100s	50s	0s
Donald Bradman	Australia	15	5	734	173*	73.40	3	4	3
Geoffrey Boycott	England	34	13	1234	128*	58.76	3	7	2
Sunil Gavaskar	India	33	9	1398	221	58.25	4	8	2
Jack Hobbs	England	23	6	979	126*	57.59	2	6	1
Younis Khan	Pakistan	23	7	912	131*	57.00	4	4	5
Graeme Smith	South Africa	32	7	1423	154*	56.92	4	8	2
Ricky Ponting	Australia	39	14	1362	156	54.48	4	5	3
Javed Miandad	Pakistan	22	7	816	103*	54.40	2	5	1
Keith Stackpole	Australia	19	5	749	136	53.50	1	6	1
Gordon Greenidge	West Indies	38	12	1383	214*	53.19	3	6	1
Mahela Jayawardene	Sri Lanka	29	9	1006	123	50.30	3	5	1

Smith has superb fourth innings numbers whichever way they are dissected. In terms of fifty-plus scores in the fourth innings his unbeaten century was his 12th - putting him at the joint highest position with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sunil Gavaskar. However, in the ratio of fifty-plus scores made to innings played, Smith is the undisputed leader among the men who have the most fifty-plus scores in the fourth innings. Smith scores 50 or better every 2.67 innings which is just slightly ahead of Sunil Gavaskar. 

Best ratio of 50-plus scores in 4th Innings: (For batsmen with the most number of 50-plus scores in fourth innings overall)

Player	Country	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	Average	Number of 50+ scores	Ratio
Graeme Smith	South Africa	32	7	1423	56.92	12	2.67
Sunil Gavaskar	India	33	9	1398	58.25	12	2.75
Chris Gayle	West Indies	35	5	1184	39.47	11	3.18
Geoffrey Boycott	England	34	13	1234	58.76	10	3.40
Michael Atherton	England	39	6	1375	41.67	11	3.55
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	West Indies	43	10	1406	42.61	12	3.58
Matthew Hayden	Australia	39	13	1287	49.50	10	3.90
Jacques Kallis	South Africa	43	15	1231	43.96	11	3.91
Gordon Greenidge	West Indies	38	12	1383	53.19	9	4.22
Ricky Ponting	Australia	39	14	1362	54.48	9	4.33
Brian Lara	West Indies	46	5	1440	35.12	9	5.11
Sachin Tendulkar	India	53	15	1515	39.87	10	5.30
Rahul Dravid	India	54	18	1507	41.86	10	5.40

Smith's numbers essentially mean that he has scored 3 scores of fifty or better in every 8 innings batted during the fourth innings of a Test match. Given how the pressure in the fourth innings is almost always the highest, this speaks volumes about his ability to soak up the pressure. 

It is perhaps this ability that led him to shrug off his bad form and perform when the chips were down. Both Hashim Amla and Smith scored centuries, and South Africa couldn't have hoped for two men better suited to handling the chase in a match that had seen the last two innings fold for less than a combined total of 150. 

However, while Amla looked more delectable in his stroke-play, it was Smith who played the more solid innings, never giving a chance. He had a few close calls through edges, but Amla gave two clear chances. In times of strife, South Africa needed their captain and he heeded his country's call.