*Official* Fifth Test at the SCG

[Nate]

so jono calls him an angry old man and thats ok.
but i say it and its inappropriate?

it's a ****ing joke, even purgery didnt care.
Hopeless moderating if you're saying only mine isnt appropriate. Show some consistency.

They're joking around. One day you will grasp the concept of humour, but first we're gonna tackle grammar.

Nah, we're not.

 

[ripper868]

"really bad poster" - wow, hitting me where it hurts, my most valued skill in life, my posting...im crushed.

Get in line mate, Bencheh has many crushes after him.

 

[Woodster]

He was amazing until his dismissal. Didn't play a false shot. There have been plenty of other innings where he's looked all at sea, but I don't think you can use this one for your argument.

(that said, he didn't score many... )

They're joking around. One day you will grasp the concept of humour, but first we're gonna tackle grammar.

Nah, we're not.

Can see you've clearly not lost your sense of humour mate, Smith - amazing ??? Do me a favour. Tbf, he looked better than he has in recent innings, but still looks woefully short of this level, both as a batsman and a bowler, would benefit more from playing a key role in the NSW side at this moment.

 

[Spikey]

so jono calls him an angry old man and thats ok.
but i say it and its inappropriate?

it's a ****ing joke, even purgery didnt care.
Hopeless moderating if you're saying only mine isnt appropriate. Show some consistency.

 

[Woodster]

Could have been an excellent day for England, but for a completely irritating tail end partnership. Initially I wasn't too against Strauss' field for Johnson, if he's going to play his shots regardless of the field may aswell have some fielders posted out. But there was nowhere near enough fielders in the ring, yes keep the catchers in slips and gully, post a long-on out and perhaps someone in cow corner, but keep some catchers on the drive. We lost the plot for a while and Johnson will no doubt have grown in confidence thinking he was being treated like Brian Lara, rather than the very hit and miss number eight that he is.

The bowling during this period was none too hot either. Bres bowled some beauties but they were missing the ball by some distance. Some hostile and straight at the wicket bowling may have been more advisable, but at the end of the day, tail end partnerships do happen, they're exceptionally frustrating at the time, but it happens.

Any momentum Australia thought that might have given them, was lost very quickly with their poor use of the new ball, and the excellent positivity from Strauss, ably supported by a more watchful Cook.

Don't have any sympathy for a bowler who oversteps regardless of whether he takes a wicket. The ball was invalid the moment he crossed the line, what happens thereafter is tough. Cook will be considered fortunate, but I'm of the thinking it's more down to poor cricket from the spin bowler.

The KP wicket brought the advantage to England closer to parity, but England still hold a good advantage. Expect Collingwood to come out in a very positive nature tomorrow, will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[Nate]

Can see you've clearly not lost your sense of humour mate, Smith - amazing ??? Do me a favour. Tbf, he looked better than he has in recent innings, but still looks woefully short of this level, both as a batsman and a bowler, would benefit more from playing a key role in the NSW side at this moment.

Feel free to ask anyone else at the SCG. Could've easily had 12 or so more runs if it wasn't for the terrific English fielding. And, again, he hadn't played a single false shot iirc before he got out. Looked a million dollars. Doesn't make your last statement any less true, mind.

 

[Woodster]

Feel free to ask anyone else at the SCG. Could've easily had 12 or so more runs if it wasn't for the terrific English fielding. And, again, he hadn't played a single false shot iirc before he got out. Looked a million dollars. Doesn't make your last statement any less true, mind.

He looked much improved from his previous poor showings, but he just looks a loose shot waiting to happen. Yes he middled a few played quite a few positive strokes but picked the fielder out every time, a couple of times it was down to excellent fielding, but not very good placement nonetheless.

Hang the ball out there often enough and he'll play something loose, that's how he looks right now, does not look a Test player and not one of the six best batsmen in Australia, or with the best potential either I'd guess at. Khawaja on the other hand looks to have some real potential.

 

[Nate]

He looked much improved from his previous poor showings, but he just looks a loose shot waiting to happen. Yes he middled a few played quite a few positive strokes but picked the fielder out every time, a couple of times it was down to excellent fielding, but not very good placement nonetheless.

Hang the ball out there often enough and he'll play something loose, that's how he looks right now, does not look a Test player and not one of the six best batsmen in Australia, or with the best potential either I'd guess at. Khawaja on the other hand looks to have some real potential.

You're making these calls based on watching him in his previous innings, where he has looked loose. Today, he looked great before getting out, and that's that.

 

[Woodster]

You're making these calls based on watching him in his previous innings, where he has looked loose. Today, he looked great before getting out, and that's that.

And that's that, he looked great, end of story. Love it.

My calls are based on what cricket I've seen of him prior to his latest failure. He is only 21 and has a lot of learning to do and isn't being helped by the inadequacies of the batting group above him. Not sure persevering with him at this stage will aid his development, state cricket and possibly county cricket will serve him better in the long term, imo.

However, still don't agree he looked great, amazing, or anything remotely similar to those.

 

[Nate]

And that's that, he looked great, end of story. Love it.

My calls are based on what cricket I've seen of him prior to his latest failure. He is only 21 and has a lot of learning to do and isn't being helped by the inadequacies of the batting group above him. Not sure persevering with him at this stage will aid his development, state cricket and possibly county cricket will serve him better in the long term, imo.

However, still don't agree he looked great, amazing, or anything remotely similar to those.

No-one is disagreeing with your section in bold, I'm not sure why you keep repeating it.

Again, myself, and others who were also at the ground, will tell you he looked good in today's innings. I'm sorry if the TV highlights displayed otherwise, but it looks like you don't want to isolate his innings today from what you've seen from him in this series previously.

EDIT: Anyway, each to their own, you're entitled to your opinion. . England well ahead atm, can't wait for another day at the cricket.

 

[Furball]

I like what I've seen from Smith in his short career thus far. While he's definitely been promoted above his station, I think he's got "it" and I don't think his selection for the series has been terrible. He's certainly not as bad as the Sky commentary team, particulalry Bumble, seem to think he is.

 

[Woodster]

No-one is disagreeing with your section in bold, I'm not sure why you keep repeating it.

Again, myself, and others who were also at the ground, will tell you he looked good in today's innings. I'm sorry if the TV highlights displayed otherwise, but it looks like you don't want to isolate his innings today from what you've seen from him in this series previously.

With regards the section in bold, I wanted you to understand that I appreciate he is a young player and therefore do not expect him to be anything like the finished article.

As we're quite an advanced nation over here, I even had access to Live coverage, so was able to make a full judgement on proceedings. How accurate a judgement is open to debate.

To take his innings in absolute isolation I would arrive at a conclusion something like this -
A young impetuous cricketer that seems intent on trying to hit the ball as hard as he can, and consequently loses all shape in his shots. He is unorthodox which is not necessarily a bad thing, but there do seem some obvious deficiencies he must work hard on.

He's not afraid to play his shots, but his selection in playing the right ones at the right time must improve, and hopefully will do so with experience. Also with experience his match awareness will hopefully improve, to try and smash a drive Jimmy Anderson who was at the time swinging it round corners (although this may not be clearly visible if you're at the game) with a new ball and pitching it up in search of this loose stroke, is naive, but can be put down to inexperience, providing he learns from his mistakes.

He can strike the ball cleanly and can get the ball into unusual areas making it difficult to set a field to him. But he does not seem ready yet for Test cricket.

I absolutely agree mate, it's each to their own, and would be dull if we all agreed on which players we rate.

 

[stephen]

It's going to be hard to leave Khawaja out and keep Smith in after this test IMO.

 

[Prince EWS]

It's going to be hard to leave Khawaja out and keep Smith in after this test IMO.

Hmm. Smith could just play for Beer instead. Hardly ideal but I wouldn't be completely opposed to it and I could definitely see it happening.

 

[Woodster]

Yes Khawaja looked impressive, looked a proper batsman with a good temperament. Looking forward to seeing more of him,

 

[Furball]

I'd also be sticking with Philip Hughes if I were an Australian selector. The kid has some technical deficiencies, but I wonder if his poor record against England is as much to do with England simply having the skill to consistently exploit that weakness. He has a good First Class record and has plenty of time between now and the series in Sri Lanka to play some more Shield and County cricket and work on his game.

 

[Redbacks]

Really I can't see anything at all that suggests that Beer is as good or better than Hauritz with the ball. He gets less turn and is around as accurate.

Basically his selection is a case of "Warnie talking up a former teammate". What a joke.

Based on the Monty 'same player as the beginner' principle, warne seemed to be impressed by beers inquisitiveness about the game. Perhaps he feels that skill + his nature could lead to a test match spinner developing. Cereberal player over a gun talent may be the right path to take if the gun ain't out there.

 

[stephen]

Based on the Monty 'same player as the beginner' principle, warne seemed to be impressed by beers inquisitiveness about the game. Perhaps he feels that skill + his nature could lead to a test match spinner developing. Cereberal player over a gun talent may be the right path to take if the gun ain't put there.

I don't disagree with you at all that an intelligent cricketer is a very valuable thing.

I just question whether Beer is good enough to play for Australia. Nothing that I've seen thus far has indicated that he's earned a spot. There are at least two more spinners who live within an hours drive of the SCG who would have been a better choice.

At least he's kept it tight, which makes Beer an improvement on Doherty.

 

[Woodster]

Looked a reasonably solid spinner, Beer, if unspectacular. Has a nice action, should get some bounce, and got one or two to grip a little. There's nothing to suggest he's a poor bowler, and will be interesting to see how he responds should someone get after him.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd also be sticking with Philip Hughes if I were an Australian selector. The kid has some technical deficiencies, but I wonder if his poor record against England is as much to do with England simply having the skill to consistently exploit that weakness. He has a good First Class record and has plenty of time between now and the series in Sri Lanka to play some more Shield and County cricket and work on his game.

Agree to an extent but there's no way I'm leaving Katich out for him. I'd definitely persist with him over someone like Marsh but I don't have anywhere near enough faith in his immediate ability to leave out a proven player like Katich.