By Neil Manthorp BBC Sport at Edgbaston

Since he was old enough to think, Graeme Smith believed he was going to be South African captain.

What this could do for the game in our country is staggering Graeme Pollock

Before the tour of England, the 22-year old spoke of his belief that an appreciation of history was a catalyst for success.

The "national pride" to which he often refers could be interpreted as a tiresome form of jingoism, were it not for his freshness and sincerity.

All he wants, in fact, is 10 team mates who want to be on the field at all times and who don't complain about the small sacrifices necessary to be a top sportsman.

"There's a specialness about playing for your country that should give you goosebumps every single time you are lucky enough to be selected," Smith says with purpose.

At Edgbaston, Smith combined his love of captaincy and appreciation of history to produce an innings that will probably change the entire future of the game in South Africa.

He hit 277, a Test record for a South African - and it came at the perfect time.

The last three years have been desperately bleak for South African cricket.

The iconic figure that was Hansie Cronje collapsed in shame before dying in an air crash.

South Africa were thrashed in both forms of the game by great rivals Australia and then tumbled ignominiously out of the World Cup on home soil after the first round.

Many thousands of supporters wandered away from the game, disenchanted, and the tour of England represented a last chance to prevent many more from following.

South Africa have needed a lift since their World Cup exit

Whatever happens in the rest of the series is almost irrelevant.

Smith has added colossal substance to his proud and occasionally outspoken words and South Africans will look up to him and, more importantly, watch him.

"I don't know what to say really," Smith said moments after his innings ended.

It was the first time any of his team mates, or management, had seen him remotely bewildered.

The courage he has in his convictions is staggering. His youth would point to naivety but he seeks advice and listens to it before making his decisions.

"His maturity is unbelievable," noted South African batting legend Graeme Pollock, a commentator at the ground.

"What this could do for the game in our country is staggering. He was still under pressure to establish himself as a player, let alone a captain. Phenomenal."

Smith tried to deflect praise on to a squad he regards as his family, saying: "It's a very proud moment, for South African cricket and for the team."

I have been preparing for this job since I was 13, probably younger Graeme Smith

Smith has been given - and has willingly taken - a daunting amount of responsibility and pressure. This single innings has added more than most people would be able to cope with.

But he claims not to be daunted.

"It's hard to describe - you see yourself in the newspaper and it's like seeing someone else," he said, offering the rarest piece of proof that there isn't a mistake on his birth certificate.

"You almost don't realise what's happening to you, but that's partly intentional because I focus and concentrate only on what I can influence."

His honesty, and occasionally a lack of diplomacy, blew up in his face when he described the dropped Lance Klusener as "a disruptive influence" before the tour started.

But that quality will be seen as endearing, not problematic, if he continues to put smiles on as many faces as he did at Edgbaston.

It was a huge day in South African sporting history and, for once, the enormity sunk in immediately.

With most of his squad watched by their wives and girlfriends, the captain had flown two, tearful members of his own family to be with him. Mum and Dad.

The impossible composition of the mature, likeable man-boy was complete.