*Official* Australia in England

[pasag]

Last over and he's still taking singles

 

[Spark]

Last over and he's still taking singles

Don't complain, it got Smith on strike.

Fair play to him actually, he's given up a 100 and gotten us a bunch of extra runs.

 

[King Pietersen]

Nice work from Clarke to get Smith on strike TBH. Looks a very good player, Clarke would have still been smacking it at fielders or picking up ones.

 

[aussie tragic]

Smith, 18 from 8 balls and Clarke stranded on 99 because he hit only 14 runs off 14 balls in the last 5 overs

 

[Jayzamann]

Smith is genuine excitement.

Can't help but feel a little sad about Clarke stranded on 99, but that's karma for the first few matches. Cricket karma.

 

[_Ed_]

Blimey. Most impressive 18* I've ever seen.

 

[treamcast34]

Another glimpse at the once in a generation talent of Smith. Has a significantly higher first class average than anyone in the England test side. And he could've been playing for England fellas.

 

[benchmark00]

Well done Clarke. Provided a quality backbone for the innings and made sure we didn't lose wickets at a crucial time like we have all throughout the series. So pathetic to see some of the criticism when he's not that sort of player. Fantastic cameo from Smith also.

 

[social]

Last over and he's still taking singles

Yeah, Clarke sucked

 

[Spark]

Well done Clarke. Provided a quality backbone for the innings and made sure we didn't lose wickets at a crucial time like we have all throughout the series. So pathetic to see some of the criticism when he's not that sort of player. Fantastic cameo from Smith also.

Agree with this, I really thought that if we lost a wicket about the 25th over we'd have been 250-odd again. Might have done a bit better during the PP but so might have White and England came back.

Smith is pure awesome, though.

And Ponting was absolutely brilliant.

 

[treamcast34]

I'm telling you Aussies, some of you might not think it, but with Hughes, Smith, Hazlewood, and there's big talk about this Khawaja kid, you've got another superstar batch coming through. Jealous.

 

[superkingdave]

Another glimpse at the once in a generation talent of Smith. Has a significantly higher first class average than anyone in the England test side. And he could've been playing for England fellas.

Most of the Aussie batting line up last year had a significantly higher FC average than anyone in the England test side.

 

[social]

I'm telling you Aussies, some of you might not think it, but with Hughes, Smith, Hazlewood, and there's big talk about this Khawaja kid, you've got another superstar batch coming through. Jealous.

Most of us know this and that's why we arent all that upset about losing a few games during the transitional period - you cant win forever and at least there's light at the end of the tunnel

Also found it mildly amusing to see the reigning World Player of the Year sitting on our bench waiting for the real stuff to start!

Anyway, full credit to Eng as today was the first misfields I've seen all series from them - they've been brilliant with their ground fielding

 

[kingkallis]

Its amazing how Clarke has lost his ability to loft the ball...14 runs in last 14 balls for a well set player is unacceptable!

 

[aussie tragic]

mild apology to Clarke...I just saw that he has a better ODI SR than my previous favourite Aussie ODI players Dean Jones and Mark Waugh....however still think he was plodding away while White, Hussey, Smith and Hopes were sitting in the shed

 

[pasag]

Agree with this, I really thought that if we lost a wicket about the 25th over we'd have been 250-odd again. Might have done a bit better during the PP but so might have White and England came back.

Smith is pure awesome, though.

And Ponting was absolutely brilliant.

He did well setting up a partnership with Ponting, but then as soon as he left he played right into England's hands, killing the momentum which they'd built up. I think I counted only one time towards the end when he played with any creativity or risk and lo and behold he got a boundary. This has been the hallmark of the bigger Clarke innings of the last few years, even when he gets a solid start he has been unable to push on and really make it count at the end which is what you want from your middle order players especially on a pitch like this.

 

[aussie tragic]

Tait to take a wkt in each of his first three 2 over spells

 

[Spark]

He did well setting up a partnership with Ponting, but then as soon as he left he played right into England's hands, killing the momentum which they'd built up. I think I counted only one time towards the end when he played with any creativity or risk and lo and behold he got a boundary. This has been the hallmark of the bigger Clarke innings of the last few years, even when he gets a solid start he has been unable to push on and really make it count at the end which is what you want from your middle order players especially on a pitch like this.

Well he has to get something other than back away, hit it down the ground/cover/point as his boundary area. It's just so predictable and doesn't work very often.

 

[Spark]

Fail.

 

[superkingdave]

Keisswetter struggling here