Ricky Ponting VS Steven Smith: Whose Purple Patch Was Better?

[Eelementary]

I was inspired by a Reddit thread I saw, and I wanted to stimulate debate here:

Ricky Ponting from 2002-2006

57 matches
99 innings
Average of 72.25
6,141 runs
24 centuries
21 fifties

Steven Smith 2013-2019

56 matches
100 innings
Average of 73.52
6,250 runs
26 centuries
21 fifties

Imo, Smith gets the nod; he missed plenty of time on the pitch, and is still putting up insane numbers.

But Punter was a brilliant cricketer, and his numbers are absolutely legendary.

 

[hineyrulz]

Punter had great players all around him during that period, Smith has had Warner in Aus and absolute plod otherwise. As good as Ponting was in that period and as great as he was to watch in full flight Smith gets the nod. Quite easily, there was quite a bit of plod around that era look at Hayden also belting some pretty ordinary attacks around that time as well.

 

[TheParraboy]

Punter had great players all around him during that period, Smith has had Warner in Aus and absolute plod otherwise. As good as Ponting was in that period and as great as he was to watch in full flight Smith gets the nod. Quite easily, there was quite a bit of plod around that era look at Hayden also belting some pretty ordinary attacks around that time as well.

this

 

[Bazal]

Punter had great players all around him during that period, Smith has had Warner in Aus and absolute plod otherwise. As good as Ponting was in that period and as great as he was to watch in full flight Smith gets the nod. Quite easily, there was quite a bit of plod around that era look at Hayden also belting some pretty ordinary attacks around that time as well.

Plod?

Smith has had genuine handbrakes like The Anchor Wade...

 

[Eelementary]

Punter had great players all around him during that period, Smith has had Warner in Aus and absolute plod otherwise. As good as Ponting was in that period and as great as he was to watch in full flight Smith gets the nod. Quite easily, there was quite a bit of plod around that era look at Hayden also belting some pretty ordinary attacks around that time as well.

Not arguing - Punter played with some absolutely brilliant players -, but none of Punter's teammates could boast the record that Punter himself boasted.

I agree with you - Smith has dominated attacks all over the globe, while Punter (as brilliant as he was) struggled in India, and the subcontinent in general.

I never actually realised just how dominant Ponting was in that period.

 

[hineyrulz]

Not arguing - Punter played with some absolutely brilliant players -, but none of Punter's teammates could boast the record that Punter himself boasted.

I agree with you - Smith has dominated attacks all over the globe, while Punter (as brilliant as he was) struggled in India, and the subcontinent in general.

I never actually realised just how dominant Ponting was in that period.

I wonder what Steve Waugh's stats were like from 93-99??? I reckon he would of averaged in the 65-70 range as well.

 

[Twizzle]

I wonder what Steve Waugh's stats were like from 93-99??? I reckon he would of averaged in the 65-70 range as well.

at one stage in the '89 series he averaged 175, think it was about the 3rd or 4th test mainly due to a few tons and not outs

 

[hineyrulz]

at one stage in the '89 series he averaged 175, think it was about the 3rd or 4th test mainly due to a few tons and not outs

I think he hit around 390 off before he was dismissed. And average 126 for the series. Tugga loved playing in England.

 

[Twizzle]

In relation to the OP, Smith's purple patch isn't over yet so hard to answer right now

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Both are pretty bloody good.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

I would take Ricky Ponting against scary pace like Shoaib Akhtar/Alan Donald/Ambrose etc etc and Steve Smith against swing and spin

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Smith.

Biggest reasons because he's done it with far less quality around and subsequently a lot more pressure. IMO he's done it again better quality attacks as well.

Ponting had greats all around him, and faced a lot of plodders in that period. Missed three out of four Tests in India and we won the series without him; in fact, we were probably better without him in the side. You would could never say that about Smith.

I always feel like Smith can get runs when the pressure is at its highest and conditions at its most difficult. When the whole team collapses around him, you feel he'll inevitably man up and dig us out. Rarely ever felt that with Punter.

If the question is who was more attractive to watch, then it's Ponting hands down.

 

[typicalfan]

These purple patches are more matches than Don Bradman's entire career.