I Dont' Like Cricket, Oh No, I Love it, Yeah

[Bazal]

No cricket expert, so do we just keep on batting for as long as we can ? Try to get enough runs to win in one inns ?

Declare at 200-250 run lead. Some predicted rain so that factors in, an earlier and tighter declaration is the go... Smith is very much a less attacking skipper though so he might go longer (to his detriment imo)

 

[Twizzle]

apparently day 5 will be a wash out

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

apparently day 5 will be a wash out

That's not quite what they are saying (though it is certainly possible). The rain on Monday is forecast for morning and early afternoon. If they need a couple of hours, there's a reasonable chance that they'll get it later in the day.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Declare at 200-250 run lead. Some predicted rain so that factors in, an earlier and tighter declaration is the go... Smith is very much a less attacking skipper though so he might go longer (to his detriment imo)

Yeh, I don't think you want to declare less than 200 in front....the pitch is still pretty good. If there was no rain threat you'd just bat to 350 in front, but with the very likely loss a few sessions and 230 in front is probably the go (depends how quickly you can get there....basically I'd give them 3 or 4 overs to face before lunch.

 

[Avenger]

It is arguably I know but despite Steve Smith being in such amazing form are the bowlers he is facing significantly inferior to what Border, Waugh Hayden and Ponting had to come up against?

I still think that Border averaging 50 with the quality of bowlers in the world at the time was a remrkable achievement.

Thoughts?

 

[strider]

I reckon the wickets are easier to bat on now .... in the old days tony greig really could have lost his keys in some of the cracks .... well thats in australia - aussies struggle elsewhere

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

It is arguably I know but despite Steve Smith being in such amazing form are the bowlers he is facing significantly inferior to what Border, Waugh Hayden and Ponting had to come up against?

I still think that Border averaging 50 with the quality of bowlers in the world at the time was a remrkable achievement.

Thoughts?

In this series, yes, the bowling attack is significantly weaker (at least in Australian conditions). But the current South African attack is pretty good, and the Indian attack (in Indian conditions) is also very good. The English attack when playing in England has also been pretty good. None of them are exactly the WI's of the early 80s, but apart from that Smith has faced some pretty decent attacks.

 

[hineyrulz]

Yeh, I don't think you want to declare less than 200 in front....the pitch is still pretty good. If there was no rain threat you'd just bat to 350 in front, but with the very likely loss a few sessions and 230 in front is probably the go (depends how quickly you can get there....basically I'd give them 3 or 4 overs to face before lunch.

I'd look to bat for round 90mins unless we are bowled out. Have a little dash at them before lunch.

 

[EelsFan05]

It is arguably I know but despite Steve Smith being in such amazing form are the bowlers he is facing significantly inferior to what Border, Waugh Hayden and Ponting had to come up against?

I still think that Border averaging 50 with the quality of bowlers in the world at the time was a remrkable achievement.

Thoughts?

Wickets, bats, smaller boundaries and a lack of qaulity bowling attacks all help the modern day batters. Border did it all againts the odds. Better batter than Smith IMO.

 

[hineyrulz]

In this series, yes, the bowling attack is significantly weaker (at least in Australian conditions). But the current South African attack is pretty good, and the Indian attack (in Indian conditions) is also very good. The English attack when playing in England has also been pretty good. None of them are exactly the WI's of the early 80s, but apart from that Smith has faced some pretty decent attacks.

Besides AB Smith has probably had to bat in some of Australia's weakest batting line ups for some time. Unlike the luxury of guys like Ponting and Hayden who had class around them for the majority of their careers.


Ponting was amazing when he had that run but i think Smith has gone past him and into the category of best i have ever seen.

 

[Avenger]

Wickets, bats, smaller boundaries and a lack of qaulity bowling attacks all help the modern day batters. Border did it all againts the odds. Better batter than Smith IMO.

Yep. I’m a massive Alan Border fan. With Steve Waugh a close second. I loved cricket back then. Still remember that test when he had to try and win it with Jeff Thompson at the crease, another time with Greg Matthews and if my memory serves me will once with the late Bob Dutchy Holland.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Wickets, bats, smaller boundaries and a lack of qaulity bowling attacks all help the modern day batters. Border did it all againts the odds. Better batter than Smith IMO.

Those are all valid points, but Border managed 27 centuries in 156 tests. Smith has scored 22 in 59. He's not the only batsman playing in modern conditions, but the only one anywhere near him is Virat Kohli, and he's bloody good as well. Border was, by necessity, very much a 'rescuer'. He averaged less than 40 against the WI and SA. Great bat, and great captain, but ability-wise I don't think he's in Smith's class. Smith is a freak.

 

[Avenger]

Is Smith better than Ponting or Hayden at his peak?

 

[hineyrulz]

Those are all valid points, but Border managed 27 centuries in 156 tests. Smith has scored 22 in 59. He's not the only batsman playing in modern conditions, but the only one anywhere near him is Virat Kohli, and he's bloody good as well. Border was, by necessity, very much a 'rescuer'. He averaged less than 40 against the WI and SA. Great bat, and great captain, but ability-wise I don't think he's in Smith's class. Smith is a freak.

Agree with most of that Barry, loved AB but he didn't have the stroke range or the ability to change a game like Smith can.

AB's last series was against SA was at 39 and he probably had played on a year too long. And an average of 40 against that Windies attack throughout his career was some sort of feat. It's like average easily over 50 now. But 22 100's in 59 tests says it all, against all countries and in all conditions.

 

[hineyrulz]

XXXX Gold is Australia's No.1 beer ? When did that happen ?

It's been the number 1 beer for a whole, VB second. It's all donkey piss as far as i'm concerned.

 

[strider]

The thing with Smith is that i find his batting very unconventional at times and it kinda makes it harder to take him as seriously ... but his record is amazing

 

[Avenger]

The thing with Smith is that i find his batting very unconventional at times and it kinda makes it harder to take him as seriously ... but his record is amazing

If anything he bats a bit like Steve Waugh. Not elegant like Greg Chappell or Mark Waugh.

 

[hineyrulz]

Is Smith better than Ponting or Hayden at his peak?

Yes.

 

[Avenger]

The best I’ve ever seen and in no particular order were Viv Richards, Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar. I hope Smith can join them.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

The other thing to consider when comparing across generations is the greatly increased video scrutiny of batting technique and statistical analysis of scoring zones. Players with a weakness in technique get found out a lot earlier. The DRS also means that the chance of being out LBW has probably increased (I think). And of course, there's money available for treading on your stumps on the 3rd ball of the 6th over these days.