Biznews Confidential: Six of the best from masterful Graeme Pollock, as in cricket so in life

There were times in the three years that we lived in London that I'd have preferred not to be there. The first Friday in July was definitely not one of them. The much-maligned English weather was magnificent, as long and hot as a Cape summer's day. It turned from good to perfect when offered a ticket to watch the Proteas..Not just any old ticket. This was in a corporate box at Lord's, a stadium known by the sport's enthusiasts as "the home of cricket." Bucket list item ticked. For someone ever besotted with the honourable game, could things get any better?.___STEADY_PAYWALL___.They did. For most of that fascinating day, I got to engage with one of the greatest cricketers the world has produced, Robert Graeme Pollock. The Master popped into the box for a quick visit, ended up staying six hours, and left having imparted a slice of his encyclopaedia of life learnings..My companion for the day played first class cricket for 27 years ending with the second best batting average of anyone who ever played the noble game (only Sir Donald Bradman's is higher). His name is revered by hundreds of millions of people from Kingston to Kolkata..For South Africans he is simply the greatest to have ever picked up a bat. Graeme is also the younger brother of Peter, one of SA's best ever fast bowlers and father of Shaun..Those who have reached the pinnacle of their field never do so by chance. These super achievers offer experiences can be universally applied. And so it was that special Friday. Our conversation re-affirming that it is life's journey, rather than the peaks, which offers the greatest satisfaction..Here are six of the best life lessons so generously shared by the legendary RG Pollock:.Parental support is priceless:.Pollock's father "Mac" was a newspaperman who so loved his work he literally died, aged 56, at the entrance to his office. He founded the famous Idler Column at Durban's Natal Mercury before becoming editor of the EP Herald. Mac, a provincial cricketer for Free State, instilled modesty and humility into his two sons, values handed down by his own father, a Presbyterian Minister in Bloemfontein. The bigger influence in the Pollock boys' career, though, was their mother who attended "every cricket match Peter and I played in", steadfastly encouraging the two future global stars. Graeme says she was the major reason for his success and reckons the best day of his life was when he scored a test century against England at Trent Bridge on his mother's birthday in 1965 – and Peter took ten wickets in the match..Know your strength and develop it:.Graeme Pollock occupied the identical batting position (number four) from schooldays through to his retirement at age 43. He was famous for a leisurely approach towards running between the wickets, preferring to conserve his energy by scoring boundaries. Because, he told me, it was critical to have perspective – "cricket is not an athletics meeting; when you're batting your mind has to be the sharpest it can be." He was also a talented leg spin bowler, being selected to play as a 13 year old for the Grey High School's First XI as a bowler (in his first match he took 6 wickets for 5 runs). Even so, Pollock gave up bowling early in his career to apply all his attention to batting, his greater strength..Be present – always:.I found this part of the conversation particularly illuminating. Having played cricket, the time between innings was always a period for relaxing, even catching some shut-eye until it is your time at the crease. When batting, when away from the action many use it to switch off, figuring that will help them concentrate better when they're back in the firing line. RG Pollock reckons that's all wrong. He says it is critical to always be present. While fielding, he paid attention to every little detail. And while waiting for his turn to bat, closely watched every ball delivered by the competition – even more so when at the non-striker's end. As in cricket, so also in life..Stay focused and you'll never get tired:.As a summer sport, cricketers are often expected to exert themselves in weather where the rest of humanity reaches for umbrellas and an iced drink. "How to did you manage to overcome the heat?" I asked. "Did you ever get tired?". Never, Pollock responded. Even when spending hours at the crease he retained a laser focus on the complexities of what was happening around him. His thoughts were so dominant he was unaware of any physical hardship. An obvious example of the power of the mind – appreciating the brain is more powerful than the body and applying the knowledge..Find your passion and stick to it:.As he aged, Graeme Pollock was thrown serious health challenges. A very public life means the world knows all about his stroke, colon cancer and now Parkinson's disease. But during our extended discussion it was clear his mind remains razor sharp. His knowledge of his passion is encyclopaedic, his insights forthright and accurate. Having played the game (1960s to 1980s) in the era when talent was inadequately rewarded, like many of his generation, in retirement Pollock has struggled to make ends meet. But he has no regrets. A life following one's passion is one well lived..Stand up for your principles:.The conversation touched on SA's Apartheid era, the sanctions-busting rebel tours and Graeme's participation in the Packer Series which revolutionised world cricket. Although anti-Apartheid activists limited his career to a mere 23 test matches, Pollock says the protestors correct – "those of us directly involved didn't really know it then, but they identified sport as the way to bring about change in South Africa and were absolutely right." He continued playing during SA cricket's isolation years because "we had to keep the sport alive in SA". But Pollock also raised his voice when he believed he could make a difference. Most famously in 1971 when he and other SA superstars Barry Richards, Mike Procter and others walked off the field after a single ball had been bowled in a game held to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Republic of SA. The statement they issued repeating: "We cricketers feel that the time has come for an expression of our views. We fully support the SA Cricket Association's application to invite non-whites to tour Australia, if they are good enough, and further subscribe to merit being the only criterion on the cricket field." It says much about the man that one of Pollock's closest friends is West Indian superstar Sir Gary Sobers.

Biznews Confidential: Six of the best from masterful Graeme Pollock, as in cricket so in life

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