4th Ashes Test, Boxing Day @ the MCG

[ElectricEelMan]

At the moment Smith is a #7 or #8 at best with his batting at test level.

Nope.
He was looking good out there. Just an immature shot got him out. Gotta give him time and he will mature and become a great test batsmen. But of course short sighted guys like you can't see potential. Guys like you would have thought McGrath was crap after averaging over 40 in first 9 tests OR that Warne was crap after his first few tests OR that Bradman was crap after his first test failure.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Looking at those replays, what are the coaches teaching kids about technique these days?

Just dreadful and it surely can't all be down to T20 hit and giggle.

I think I remember Phil Gould talking about it on the Roast where he said that these days half the job of coaching is getting the young kids to actually listen and get the advice to sink in as so many of them expect things to just fall into place.

Part of the reason might be T20, but how many of them are really willing to knuckle down and work on those less flashy aspects of the game?

 

[aussies1st]

He played that same shot earlier, just this time he didn't excute.

 

[kia ora storm]

Nope.
He was looking good out there. Just an immature shot got him out. Gotta give him time and he will mature and become a great test batsmen. But of course short sighted guys like you can't see potential. Guys like you would have thought McGrath was crap after averaging over 40 in first 9 tests OR that Warne was crap after his first few tests OR that Bradman was crap after his first test failure.

Agree...Smith will become a good player in the mould of Hussey IMO...give him a season or two.

 

[Red Bear]

Shot of a man not ready for test cricket, but he's got time and youth on his side.

 

[yappy]

It just looked ugly because of the locked arm way he plays the pull. Hardly the first guy to bottom edge a crossed bat shot into the sticks and won't be the last.

We're in a slump. It happens to everyone. The young guys going through it will be better for it in the long run. The old men won't be around to see it turn.

 

[ozbash]

Hey! That's NZ's job.

we wernt playing for the Ashes

 

[El Diablo]

and never will

 

[kia ora storm]

No kidding...

 

[JJ]

Nope.
He was looking good out there. Just an immature shot got him out. Gotta give him time and he will mature and become a great test batsmen.

Wow - NSW patriotism knows no bounds... he looks like a test # 8 ... unfortunately his bowling is not up to test cricket - but then, he's at least as good as the other spinners you've tried in the last few years

Terrible technique, not just on the shot that he got out too, and not as bad as Hughes... but obviously full of holes

 

[Mr Saab]

In 1-2yrs Hughes will be back playing grade cricket.

He wishes. He will be lucky to get a gig with a bunch of 10 yr olds playing in the street

 

[JJ]

Moronic post of the year candidate!

Could only come from a Victorian

not as moronic as saying he'll score 10,000 test runs...

 

[HevyDevy]

Wow - NSW patriotism knows no bounds... he looks like a test # 8 ... unfortunately his bowling is not up to test cricket - but then, he's at least as good as the other spinners you've tried in the last few years

Terrible technique, not just on the shot that he got out too, and not as bad as Hughes... but obviously full of holes

Mate I'm with you on this one.

I don't get the Smith love. He has basically been picked as a batsman which is insane. He is not up to it. And as a spinner? Seriously. Not even close.

Hughes has plenty of ability but they've picked him terribly out of form and he still needs a few more years to get his sh*t together. Worst of all though they dropped him when he was going okay and picked him when he was going woefully.

 

[HevyDevy]

It just looked ugly because of the locked arm way he plays the pull. Hardly the first guy to bottom edge a crossed bat shot into the sticks and won't be the last.

We're in a slump. It happens to everyone. The young guys going through it will be better for it in the long run. The old men won't be around to see it turn.

Somewhere within the crap the selectors are putting together is a decent side. Not a No.1 side in the world atm but 3ish for sure. Unfortunately the selectord are f**king it up.

At full strength it could roughly be:

Watson
Katich
Khawaja
Ponting (but not for long)
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin
Johnson
Hauritz (with O'Keefe soon, but not yet)
Harris
Bollinger

That's a decent squad although Ponting worries me. Clarke is quality but just horribly out of form. So be it. At least that side lacks so many liabilities.

 

[JJ]

Mate I'm with you on this one.

I don't get the Smith love. He has basically been picked as a batsman which is insane. He is not up to it. And as a spinner? Seriously. Not even close.

Hughes has plenty of ability but they've picked him terribly out of form and he still needs a few more years to get his sh*t together. Worst of all though they dropped him when he was going okay and picked him when he was going woefully.

Test #6 - David Hussey>>>>>>>>>>> Steve Smith

Surely a top 6 something like
A N Opener
S Watson
M Hussey
R Pontng
M Clarke
D Hussey

Would be a much better bet... You have got to back Ponting and Clarke to come through at sometime

I really do feel sorry for Ponting - yes he's struggling - BUT he has at times carried the batting lineup almost singlehandedly, he was without much doubt the batsmen of the decade, and you're all calling for him to be dumped... Yet Clarke, who's only 29 and should be in his prime is your choice (presumably) to be promoted to captain - but he's in worse form, seems a selfish little prick, doesn't seem to have the respect of the players, and probably doesn't have the respect of the cricketing public outside NSW

 

[Usain Bolt]

While you Aussies are losing, just chalk up another victory for the Black Caps lastnight.. Merry Xmas

 

[ANTiLAG]

JJ - I'm not sure - the English used to blood batsmen in dead Ashes games. Actually - they were always blooding batsmen and the games were dead from about match 4. But I think now is a time for Usman to come in and play some shots on a home ground.

I really do. No real pressure. Ashes gone. Sure England will want to win series - but a draw will presumably give them that. I think now is the time for Aus/Pak to rebuild the top order. Aus/Pak has a great name to it - sounds like a carrier service supplies company. Get your cling film from OzPak.

 

[ANTiLAG]

While you Aussies are losing, just chalk up another victory for the Black Caps lastnight.. Merry Xmas

That was merely hit n giggle. However, I was impressed by McGlashan's 25 run over. The scoop 4, the uppercut 4, the cover drive 4, the reverse sweep 6, then reverse swat 6- then the easy bye OFF UMAR GUL!!!

Great entertainment. Straight out of the Dilshan, McCullum and Pieterson coaching manual!

 

[JJ]

JJ - I'm not sure - the English used to blood batsmen in dead Ashes games. Actually - they were always blooding batsmen and the games were dead from about match 4. But I think now is a time for Usman to come in and play some shots on a home ground.

I really do. No real pressure. Ashes gone. Sure England will want to win series - but a draw will presumably give them that. I think now is the time for Aus/Pak to rebuild the top order. Aus/Pak has a great name to it - sounds like a carrier service supplies company. Get your cling film from OzPak.

Still wouldn't drop Ponring, but he might well miss the game because of injury - but there's no obvious captain replacement anyway, I know Clarke has been the c/c, but surely not?:lol:

Yes, the NSW groupies here have been calling for Usman... I haven't seen him, but those same posters have been lauding Hughes and Smith - and I've seen enough of those two to know that this is a NSW thing, not a sound judgement on cricketers... Steve Smith reminds me a bit of John Bracewell - not aggressive like him, and not a good bowler like him - but as a batsmen, that that slightly gumby uncoordinated farm-boy agricultural look... nice

 

[Twizzle]

the only reason hughes looked half decent today was because the new ball didn't move, he's a flat track bully... had he lasted much longer to when the ball started reversing and moving off the pitch he would have been made to look like the nuffie he is

rubbish

he played much straighter this innings

look at his defensive shots, they were played back to the bowler rather than out to cover as he usually does, he has definitely changed his technique in the last 7 days

dont know if it will be enough to make him a better player but there was a significant difference in his forward defensive shots