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*Official* Sri Lanka in Australia 2010

howardj

International Coach
OK, but I suspect the two tests in India were mentally draining. And he has some huge cricket ahead of him. There will be plenty of time to focus on the ODI team after the Ashes. I don't know what Australia's schedule is but I assume there will lots of ODI's in the run-up to the World Cup. Playing a dead-rubber ODI now simply doesn't mean much in terms of developing the ODI team.
We will have to agree to vigorously disagree.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Better not play ****ing Smith at the Gabba. We'd be better ff with Dan Christian @ 7/
Nah I think Smith's our best finisher at the moment. Wouldn't bowl him as anything more than a partnership breaker (seventh best OD bowler in the team IMO) but I think he's our best bet as a #7 bat. And I know you'll say Warner, but you're wrong IMO.
 

Julian87

State Captain
And considering I don't think Smith can doing anything with the ball that White can't I'd be happy advocating a genuine bat @ 7, if not Warner, then probably Callum Ferguson.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
And considering I don't think Smith can doing anything with the ball that White can't I'd be happy advocating a genuine bat @ 7, if not Warner, then probably Callum Ferguson.
I was talking about Smith as a genuine bat. I knew you'd say Warner. :p
Ferguson may or may not be a better one day batsman than Smith but he's certainly not as good a specialist #7 batsman than Smith IMO.

I'm picking Smith as a specialist finisher. I'd give him a bowl if a big partnership developed and the other options were exhausted, but that'd be it. In the normal scheme of things I'd bowl Clarke ahead of him as the sixth bowler.
 

Julian87

State Captain
I was talking about Smith as a genuine bat. I knew you'd say Warner. :p
Ferguson may or may not be a better one day batsman than Smith but he's certainly not as good a specialist #7 batsman than Smith IMO.

I'm picking Smith as a specialist finisher. I'd give him a bowl if a big partnership developed and the other options were exhausted, but that'd be it. In the normal scheme of things I'd bowl Clarke ahead of him as the sixth bowler.
With Hussey @ 6 we don't need a 'finisher' at 7, we need a hitter and Smith isn't a hitter. Definitely think Ferguson would be much, much better at the role you think Smith excels in.

I don't think it's a coincidence that we're losing games now that they've given Hopes the flick and they've replaced him with a bloke who can't bowl very well. Even though Hopes' bowling has declined from his career high point 2/3 seasons ago I'd bank on him doing a better job as a change bowler than Hastings and probably McKay as well.
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
With Hussey @ 6 we don't need a 'finisher' at 7, we need a hitter and Smith isn't a hitter. Definitely think Ferguson would be much, much better at the role you think Smith excels in.

I don't think it's a coincidence that we're losing games now that they've given Hopes the flick and they've replaced him with a bloke who can't bowl very well. Even though Hopes' bowling has declined from his career high point 2/3 seasons ago I'd bank on him doing a better job as a change bowler than Hastings and probably McKay as well.
Smith's a good hitter IMO; much better than Ferguson.
 

pup11

International Coach
Yeah that's what I meant. Not suggesting that he has an inherent weakness against it - the award for 'most clueless short ball play I've seen' definitely belongs to Clarke's Mohali "effort" - but I believe that it's somewhat similar to Bevan who also, I believe, had a rather fail moment against a short ball. Something like that in your early test career and it seems, as you say, your card is marked.
That's what I'm talking about. Clarke has no backfoot game whatsoever, and it just surprises me, that he has lasted this long in test cricket.
Have a feeling the Aussie skip and vice-captain, are gonna get peppered by a lot of short stuff this Ozi summer!!
 

Ruckus

International Captain
One is not at the expense of the other though - there is no clash with FC cricket today, the game doesn't start until Wednesday for Tasmania. Likewise, the games he missed in India were not because he was back here playing FC cricket. When the team has a crisis of confidence (self-admitted by Ponting the other day) I just think your captain should be available for more than one of the last six matches, particularly when his not playing any FC cricket when absent.

/Insert PEWS broken record image/
haha Greig just echoed your sentiments.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
That's what I'm talking about. Clarke has no backfoot game whatsoever, and it just surprises me, that he has lasted this long in test cricket.
Have a feeling the Aussie skip and vice-captain, are gonna get peppered by a lot of short stuff this Ozi summer!!
Okay I don't know where you heard that but it's complete nonsense.
 

pup11

International Coach
Smith is top order batsman, and that's where he should be batting and not @ 7, and as for his bowling, I would say its pretty hard for to make any impact with the ball, if he doesn't get many overs to bowl.
Though if we're purely talking about a finisher @ 7, then on current form, it hard to look beyond Travis Birt, the bloke is just the cleanest hitter in Oz atm!
 

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