HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Steady on old bean, I'd have to up my output considerably to get to Sinclair before 2018. At the current rate of an update every year, I'd be forecasting Sinclair somewhere around 2030.
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CW Worst 15 Cricketers of All Time - The Results
- Thread starter HeathDavisSpeed
- Start date
straw man
Hall of Fame Member
Ah, now you've gone and spoiled the surprise. Sinclair to be number 11 just like the last three.
GuyFromLancs
State Vice-Captain
By this time, SRT will be playing his 400th test match, whilst trying to maintain a batting average of 28. In fact, by then, he might be on your list.
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Number 11= Chris Cowdrey
Highest Ranking 1
Total Points 12
Number of Votes Received 2/13
Another entry at number 11 in this list and another one brought to you by those lovely people at Rent a Journeyman County Pro. For Chris Cowdrey, however, he was a special case. Not satisfied with merely being a journeyman county pro, he was also a JCP who was the son of one of England's most revered batsmen of all time. As you'd expect, the pressure was heaped upon him from a young age.
These days, the name Cowdrey is shunned in revered in equal measure – due to the relative merits of Cowdrey Snr and Cowdrey fils. Cowdrey was inferior to his celebrated father in pretty much every way imaginable when it comes to cricket. However, he did surpass his father in one way, but more of that later.
Chris was born in Farnborough in what used to be Kent, and is now part of Greater London. He was baptised by his father’s occasional England opening partner, the Reverend David Sheppard and his godfather was Peter May – another England batsman. His father was occasionally described as the bluest blooded of England cricketers, and was the first England cricketer to be elevated to the peerage. As such, Chris’ upbringing could easily be described to be privileged and he was schooled at the exclusive Tonbridge School.
Given his upbringing, it was no surprise that he followed a cricketing career – debuting for Kent at the age of 18 against Yorkshire in a one day game in 1976. Sadly, he neither batted nor bowled in that game and was unable to push for further county honours that season. However, at the end of that summer, Cowdrey took to the field as captain for England U19s at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. Amongst the boys he led on that tour were future England luminaries – David Gower and Mike Gatting – as well as the less celebrated Bill Athey, Paul Downton and Paul Allott. In a pretty successful tour, Cowdrey led the way with the bat in the only official ‘Test’ – top scoring in both England innings with a 48 and a 69. Interestingly, a young Mike Gatting opened the bowling for England and took match figures of 9 – 109.
1977 was Cowdrey’s breakthrough year for Kent – making his first class debut against the touring Australians in May – taking his first wicket Doug Walters – but not getting a chance to bat due to heavy rain which heavily impacted the match. His county debut against Middlesex a week later was similarly depressing, with only 41 overs bowled across 3 days. Finally, he got a chance to bat against Derbyshire in the next game – shifted up to open alongside Bob Woolmer.
It was a long time coming, but by the time August came around, Cowdrey made his first ton – an unbeaten 101 against Glamorgan in Swansea; helped over the line in a last wicket partnership with his England U19 team mate, Paul Downton.
From there, his county career went from strength to strength, becoming a fixture in the side in 1977/78 and being awarded his county cap in 1979.
His 1983 season was the first that his name started to be touted for higher honours. Up until this point, he was still living on that ton against Glamorgan and had only finished one season the right side of the 30 mark in the batting averages. 1983 was different though – he racked up 5 centuries and finished the season with a batting average of nearly 57 across 22 games. 1984 wasn’t quite so successful, but he remained in the selectors minds. So it was, that when Ian Botham refused to tour India in 1984, that the selectors saw Chris Cowdrey as an ideal replacement (despite at the time having taken less than 70 first class wickets - yep another one of those people who could have been the replacement for Botham - possibly the first, and surely one of the most inept at doing so?)
On his test debut in Bombay at the Wankhede Stadium – alongside familiar faces such as Gower, Gatting and Downton, he didn’t have the best of times with the bat –scoring 13 and 14 in an 8 wicket defeat. However, he was fielding at short leg as Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev built up a formidable looking partnership for the 6th wicket when David Gower threw him the ball. Too surprised to even take off his shin pads, be bowled Kapil Dev with his 4th ball in Test cricket. Surprising his father so much that whilst listening to the match on the radio, Colin took a wrong turn down a one-way street as the wicket fell. Chris became the 19th bowler to take a wicket for England in his first over in Test cricket and, incidentally, exceeded his father who never did take a test wicket.
It was in vain though as Shastri and Syed Kirmani piled on 200 runs for the 7th wicket.
The 2nd Test saw the tables turn as England ran away victorious by 8 wickets. Cowdrey’s contribution was 38, but proving a useful partner Tim Robinson who compiled a match-winning 160.
Cowdrey’s biggest contribution to the series was in the series-winning 4th Test. Gower used him in Madras as the stock seamer – operating around Norman Cowans and Neil Foster to ensure they remained sprightly enough to take wickets. Twice in the first innings, however, Cowdrey took vital wickets – first bowling the formidable Mohammad Azharuddin – looking dangerous on 48, before later taking the wicket of Kapil Dev who had put on 80 in partnership with Kirmani. Fowler and Gatting scored double tons in a score of 652 – 7 declared for England as they took the series lead (which they would hold on to) by 9 wickets.
But really, in that series, Cowdrey’s contribution had been minor. He’d scored 96 runs at 19.2 and taken 4 wickets at 72 a piece. In particular, in the final Test in Kanpur he was taken to the cleaners with the ball.
But what is it about Cowdrey which earns so much ire? Surely, these are minor offences in the grand scheme of things. He only played 6 games, he was unsuccessful but the team went alright I suppose. What’s the problem?
It stems from the 6th of his 6 Tests. He hadn’t played since that summer in India in 1985. It was the crazy summer of 4 captains as the rampant West Indies made hay against a hapless England. Wisden commented at the time, "The morale and reputation of English cricket has seldom been as severely bruised as it was during the 1988 Cornhill Insurance Test series against West Indies”.
Mike Gatting started the series as captain. The first match at Trent Bridge was a draw, salvaged by a Graham Gooch ton and some inclement weather. Gatting was sacked after the match for alleged indiscretions with a barmaid. This was coupled with the previous winter’s Shakoor Rana finger-wagging incident and led to his dismissal. John Emburey took the reins and were beaten, but not embarrassed by the 134 run defeat. The 3rd Test as Old Trafford though was an absolute nadir for the team. Dismissed for 135 and 93 in a combined total of 103 overs as a revolving door selection policy cost England dearly. In contrast, the West Indies calmly racked up 387/7 declared and won by a whopping innings and 156 runs. Emburey was sacked.
And this is where our hero reappears. Chris Cowdrey had over the preceding years built up a reasonable reputation as captain of Kent, but it was still a massive surprise to see him plucked from county cricket and given the job of captain of a rather dysfunctional England team. This was accompanied by cries of nepotism (his godfather Peter May was Chairman of Selectors at the time) as well as the usual cries of parochialism from the county cricket set (Southern bias, etc.) “We believe Cowdrey's style of leadership is what is now required” said May at the time.
This, of course, could all have been forgiven with a strong performance from the Skipper. No such performance was forthcoming.
The Test started off particularly ignominiously for Cowdrey – when he was refused entry to the car park on the opening day of the Headingley test as the gatekeeper didn’t recognise him. On a personal level, things went from bad to worse for him. Cowdrey was dismissed for a dismal duck (Lbw to Marshall) in the first dig as England collapsed from 183 – 4 to 185 – 8 and 201 all out. In the second innings, he played all around a Courtney Walsh delivery and was bowled for 5. It all could have been vastly different if Allan Lamb hadn’t torn his left calf muscle. England were 183 – 4 at the time, and Lamb had put on 100 with Robin Smith and the collapse started straight after Lamb’s departure. As it was, England only trailed by 74 on first innings, but another collapse in the 2nd dig put paid to any comeback chances.
There was a week in the schedules before the 5th Test was due to start, so Cowdrey returned to county cricket. He there picked up an injury which made him unavailable for the 5th Test. He never played for England again.
So, that disastrous 5th Test, claims that the Captaincy was wholly undeserved and a perception that he was over-privileged blue-blood and Cowdrey finds himself in this list.
He has subsequently become quite a successful after dinner speaker, occasional radio commentator and in 2012 was named President of the Lord’s Taverners.
Career Highlight
A duck, a five, a sound thrashing and the crowd and the press saying you don't belong there anyway. It's Chris Cowdrey's test as captain.
What they said about him
(Not much, it seems. His dad seems to get most of the attention)
Highest Ranking 1
Total Points 12
Number of Votes Received 2/13
Another entry at number 11 in this list and another one brought to you by those lovely people at Rent a Journeyman County Pro. For Chris Cowdrey, however, he was a special case. Not satisfied with merely being a journeyman county pro, he was also a JCP who was the son of one of England's most revered batsmen of all time. As you'd expect, the pressure was heaped upon him from a young age.
These days, the name Cowdrey is shunned in revered in equal measure – due to the relative merits of Cowdrey Snr and Cowdrey fils. Cowdrey was inferior to his celebrated father in pretty much every way imaginable when it comes to cricket. However, he did surpass his father in one way, but more of that later.
Chris was born in Farnborough in what used to be Kent, and is now part of Greater London. He was baptised by his father’s occasional England opening partner, the Reverend David Sheppard and his godfather was Peter May – another England batsman. His father was occasionally described as the bluest blooded of England cricketers, and was the first England cricketer to be elevated to the peerage. As such, Chris’ upbringing could easily be described to be privileged and he was schooled at the exclusive Tonbridge School.
Given his upbringing, it was no surprise that he followed a cricketing career – debuting for Kent at the age of 18 against Yorkshire in a one day game in 1976. Sadly, he neither batted nor bowled in that game and was unable to push for further county honours that season. However, at the end of that summer, Cowdrey took to the field as captain for England U19s at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. Amongst the boys he led on that tour were future England luminaries – David Gower and Mike Gatting – as well as the less celebrated Bill Athey, Paul Downton and Paul Allott. In a pretty successful tour, Cowdrey led the way with the bat in the only official ‘Test’ – top scoring in both England innings with a 48 and a 69. Interestingly, a young Mike Gatting opened the bowling for England and took match figures of 9 – 109.
1977 was Cowdrey’s breakthrough year for Kent – making his first class debut against the touring Australians in May – taking his first wicket Doug Walters – but not getting a chance to bat due to heavy rain which heavily impacted the match. His county debut against Middlesex a week later was similarly depressing, with only 41 overs bowled across 3 days. Finally, he got a chance to bat against Derbyshire in the next game – shifted up to open alongside Bob Woolmer.
It was a long time coming, but by the time August came around, Cowdrey made his first ton – an unbeaten 101 against Glamorgan in Swansea; helped over the line in a last wicket partnership with his England U19 team mate, Paul Downton.
From there, his county career went from strength to strength, becoming a fixture in the side in 1977/78 and being awarded his county cap in 1979.
His 1983 season was the first that his name started to be touted for higher honours. Up until this point, he was still living on that ton against Glamorgan and had only finished one season the right side of the 30 mark in the batting averages. 1983 was different though – he racked up 5 centuries and finished the season with a batting average of nearly 57 across 22 games. 1984 wasn’t quite so successful, but he remained in the selectors minds. So it was, that when Ian Botham refused to tour India in 1984, that the selectors saw Chris Cowdrey as an ideal replacement (despite at the time having taken less than 70 first class wickets - yep another one of those people who could have been the replacement for Botham - possibly the first, and surely one of the most inept at doing so?)
On his test debut in Bombay at the Wankhede Stadium – alongside familiar faces such as Gower, Gatting and Downton, he didn’t have the best of times with the bat –scoring 13 and 14 in an 8 wicket defeat. However, he was fielding at short leg as Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev built up a formidable looking partnership for the 6th wicket when David Gower threw him the ball. Too surprised to even take off his shin pads, be bowled Kapil Dev with his 4th ball in Test cricket. Surprising his father so much that whilst listening to the match on the radio, Colin took a wrong turn down a one-way street as the wicket fell. Chris became the 19th bowler to take a wicket for England in his first over in Test cricket and, incidentally, exceeded his father who never did take a test wicket.
It was in vain though as Shastri and Syed Kirmani piled on 200 runs for the 7th wicket.
The 2nd Test saw the tables turn as England ran away victorious by 8 wickets. Cowdrey’s contribution was 38, but proving a useful partner Tim Robinson who compiled a match-winning 160.
Cowdrey’s biggest contribution to the series was in the series-winning 4th Test. Gower used him in Madras as the stock seamer – operating around Norman Cowans and Neil Foster to ensure they remained sprightly enough to take wickets. Twice in the first innings, however, Cowdrey took vital wickets – first bowling the formidable Mohammad Azharuddin – looking dangerous on 48, before later taking the wicket of Kapil Dev who had put on 80 in partnership with Kirmani. Fowler and Gatting scored double tons in a score of 652 – 7 declared for England as they took the series lead (which they would hold on to) by 9 wickets.
But really, in that series, Cowdrey’s contribution had been minor. He’d scored 96 runs at 19.2 and taken 4 wickets at 72 a piece. In particular, in the final Test in Kanpur he was taken to the cleaners with the ball.
But what is it about Cowdrey which earns so much ire? Surely, these are minor offences in the grand scheme of things. He only played 6 games, he was unsuccessful but the team went alright I suppose. What’s the problem?
It stems from the 6th of his 6 Tests. He hadn’t played since that summer in India in 1985. It was the crazy summer of 4 captains as the rampant West Indies made hay against a hapless England. Wisden commented at the time, "The morale and reputation of English cricket has seldom been as severely bruised as it was during the 1988 Cornhill Insurance Test series against West Indies”.
Mike Gatting started the series as captain. The first match at Trent Bridge was a draw, salvaged by a Graham Gooch ton and some inclement weather. Gatting was sacked after the match for alleged indiscretions with a barmaid. This was coupled with the previous winter’s Shakoor Rana finger-wagging incident and led to his dismissal. John Emburey took the reins and were beaten, but not embarrassed by the 134 run defeat. The 3rd Test as Old Trafford though was an absolute nadir for the team. Dismissed for 135 and 93 in a combined total of 103 overs as a revolving door selection policy cost England dearly. In contrast, the West Indies calmly racked up 387/7 declared and won by a whopping innings and 156 runs. Emburey was sacked.
And this is where our hero reappears. Chris Cowdrey had over the preceding years built up a reasonable reputation as captain of Kent, but it was still a massive surprise to see him plucked from county cricket and given the job of captain of a rather dysfunctional England team. This was accompanied by cries of nepotism (his godfather Peter May was Chairman of Selectors at the time) as well as the usual cries of parochialism from the county cricket set (Southern bias, etc.) “We believe Cowdrey's style of leadership is what is now required” said May at the time.
This, of course, could all have been forgiven with a strong performance from the Skipper. No such performance was forthcoming.
The Test started off particularly ignominiously for Cowdrey – when he was refused entry to the car park on the opening day of the Headingley test as the gatekeeper didn’t recognise him. On a personal level, things went from bad to worse for him. Cowdrey was dismissed for a dismal duck (Lbw to Marshall) in the first dig as England collapsed from 183 – 4 to 185 – 8 and 201 all out. In the second innings, he played all around a Courtney Walsh delivery and was bowled for 5. It all could have been vastly different if Allan Lamb hadn’t torn his left calf muscle. England were 183 – 4 at the time, and Lamb had put on 100 with Robin Smith and the collapse started straight after Lamb’s departure. As it was, England only trailed by 74 on first innings, but another collapse in the 2nd dig put paid to any comeback chances.
There was a week in the schedules before the 5th Test was due to start, so Cowdrey returned to county cricket. He there picked up an injury which made him unavailable for the 5th Test. He never played for England again.
So, that disastrous 5th Test, claims that the Captaincy was wholly undeserved and a perception that he was over-privileged blue-blood and Cowdrey finds himself in this list.
He has subsequently become quite a successful after dinner speaker, occasional radio commentator and in 2012 was named President of the Lord’s Taverners.
Career Highlight
A duck, a five, a sound thrashing and the crowd and the press saying you don't belong there anyway. It's Chris Cowdrey's test as captain.
What they said about him
(Not much, it seems. His dad seems to get most of the attention)
Langeveldt
Soutie
Has Jehan Mubarak played test cricket?
Thami Tsolekile must be up there too (if you agree keepers should be able to bat too)
Thami Tsolekile must be up there too (if you agree keepers should be able to bat too)
Last edited:
Langeveldt
Soutie
So many divisions in the game at the time, based on whatever you like really, class, county, who you were friends with.. I've been doing a lot of reading up on the 80's and 90's in English and cricket and it appears there were a lot of woeful individuals running the show in England.. One thing is for sure, you can laugh at the Ashes cookbook, but it's infinitely preferable over how things were..
King Pietersen
International Captain
Yep. 10 Tests, average of 15.87, with no half centuries. Remember him from a few Tests against England in 06/07, where he managed a mighty impressive 24 runs from 5 innings. WAG.
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Mubarak was joint 38th in the list. Does he have a worse record than Cowdrey? Yes, I'd say so but the masses (i.e. the 9 or so who bothered to vote) disagreed.
And who am I to argue?
Remember this well when the next entrant gets posted up.
And who am I to argue?
Remember this well when the next entrant gets posted up.
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
If the same dynamics were at play KP would have been picked dropped and repicked 10 times already in his career.
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
More likely dropped and unforgivably discarded like Robin Smith.
fredfertang
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Nice write up - used to amuse my old man to call him Calfdrey - it never brought a smile from anyone else, even when he started calling Graham Vealdrey, although I quite liked Bulldrey, which is how he used to refer to Lady Cowdrey – I dread to think what he’s have christened young Fabian - it never ceases to amaze me that when folk dream up a funny of their own, which is essentially awful, that they fly in the face of public opinion and carry on using it at every available opportunity for ever and a day
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Number 10: Steve Smith
Highest Ranking 2
Total Points 13
Number of Votes Received 2/13
Ah. The dangers of taking such a long period of time to do something - a period of time so lengthy that if it became an SI unit, they would name it the "Cribb" - that the original topic almost becomes obsolete. The perils of procrastinating so long over doing something that the world moves on and what once had been so is no longer the case.
This, dear reader, is a tale of redemption.
Cast your mind back to those happier times. It was April 2012. Nelson Mandela was still alive. We were still discussing the merits of American intervention in the Middle East. People still complained that CricketWeb wasn’t what it used to be. And Burgey was marginally less grumpy than he is today. Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose you might choose to say if you were either a pretentious prig, or the sort of person who has a whimsical way with words so they can get away with such things.
Well, something has changed since then. Back in 2012, two erstwhile Kiwi contributors to CricketWeb voted Steve (as he was known back then) Smith as being in the top ten worst test cricketers of all time. This player, now named Steven Smith (at least according to Cricinfo and a multitude of Australian cricket commentators who seem to be labouring under the misapprehension that something becomes classy just by using a longer version of a name) currently averages a very respectable 40 with the bat in test cricket. He just played a starring role in wresting the Ashes back from a hapless England side, and even more impressively scored heavily against South Africa in their own back yard.
So, given this, why did he receive those nominations?
Well, in order to answer that question we have to cast our minds back still further – as far back as 2010.
Back then, it was still a relatively short time since the retirement of the self-proclaimed greatest spinner of all time, Shane Warne. Australia cast the net far and wide looking for a replacement – Bryce McGain, Jason Krejza, Michael Beer – the list was long. Steve Smith was one of those earmarked as a potential replacement. He bowled some leg spin, he seemed to have plenty of batting potential and a good healthy dose of chutzpah.
By the time of his debut test match – to be played at Lord’s versus Pakistan – he was only 21 years old and had played only 13 first class matches. He was coming off a storming 2009/10 season of Sheffield Shield cricket, however, where he’d compiled 772 runs at 77.2 and taken 21 wickets at a less healthy average of 44.38. He grew in form and stature as the season progressed – scoring 3 tons with the highlight being 177 off 247 balls versus Tasmania at the Bellerive Oval. It was this form that saw him called up for his first look at international Test cricket.
It’s fair to say that first series produced mixed results for the youngster. Dropped into the order at number 8, the traditional slot for the bowling all-rounder, he struggled against the wily spin of Danish Kaneria. Twice at Lord’s he was undone by the leggie’s top spinner – which would have been doubly disappointing for a rival leg spin bowler. With ball in hand, Smith had a little more success – 3 Pakistani batsmen threw away their wickets in the 2nd innings attempting to beat Smith out of the park.
The second Test at Headingley was different again. In the first innings, some marvellous bowling from Aamir and Asif saw the Australians dismissed for 88. Smith received an absolute jaffa from Aamir which swung in from outside off and bowled him through the gate. His 2nd innings knock demonstrated his potential, though. He came in at 217 – 6 with Australia barely 50 runs to the good. Batting with firstly Tim Paine and then the tail, he flayed the Pakistani attack around the ground, deploying attacking verve to good effect to plunder 77 from 100 balls. Another attacking shot saw his demise as last wicket to fall as he played a slower ball onto the stumps.
Australia lost that 2nd Test, but Smith had shown some promise.
His next involvement with the Australian team was in the ill-fated Ashes series of 2010/11.
Marcus North had been the preferred batting all-rounder at the Gabba and Adelaide Oval, but an almighty thrashing (by an innings and 71 runs) at Adelaide saw some swift changes in the team. Smith came in for North, Hughes replaced Katich through injury and Mitchell Johnson returned to replace the insipid Xavier Doherty.
In the three Test which followed, Smith’s one decent score was 54 not out in a losing cause at Sydney. It was the manner of some of his previous dismissals which was most disappointing – chopping on or being caught trying to force the pace against Jimmy Anderson 3 innings in a row across the MCG and SCG.
At the end of the series, he averaged a mere 28 with the bat and still had only those 3 wickets to show for his bowling at a cost of 220 runs.
That is the context within which the votes were cast against him. This just goes to show the underlying risk in attempting to judge a player based on their performances at 21/22 years of age on the toughest stage in cricket. He went away, worked on his batting – somewhat to the detriment of his bowling – and has become a key component of the Australian middle order.
Steven Smith, the People’s Champ, you are redeemed!
Career Highlight (at the time)
Australia are 187 for 6 at the SCG. Smith had Mitchell Johnson for company and then the tail. Jimmy Anderson is bowling well with his tail up and with great economy. What do you do? Attempt the massive off-drive with no foot movement and edge to the slips to strike a death blow to the Australian batting. Dropping a goober off your own bowling to help Ian Bell on his way to a ton in the same Test ranks pretty closely.
What they said about him
Phlegm explains his vote for Steve Smith
(For the record, it was Hurricane and Phlegm)
Highest Ranking 2
Total Points 13
Number of Votes Received 2/13
Ah. The dangers of taking such a long period of time to do something - a period of time so lengthy that if it became an SI unit, they would name it the "Cribb" - that the original topic almost becomes obsolete. The perils of procrastinating so long over doing something that the world moves on and what once had been so is no longer the case.
This, dear reader, is a tale of redemption.
Cast your mind back to those happier times. It was April 2012. Nelson Mandela was still alive. We were still discussing the merits of American intervention in the Middle East. People still complained that CricketWeb wasn’t what it used to be. And Burgey was marginally less grumpy than he is today. Plus ca change, plus ca meme chose you might choose to say if you were either a pretentious prig, or the sort of person who has a whimsical way with words so they can get away with such things.
Well, something has changed since then. Back in 2012, two erstwhile Kiwi contributors to CricketWeb voted Steve (as he was known back then) Smith as being in the top ten worst test cricketers of all time. This player, now named Steven Smith (at least according to Cricinfo and a multitude of Australian cricket commentators who seem to be labouring under the misapprehension that something becomes classy just by using a longer version of a name) currently averages a very respectable 40 with the bat in test cricket. He just played a starring role in wresting the Ashes back from a hapless England side, and even more impressively scored heavily against South Africa in their own back yard.
So, given this, why did he receive those nominations?
Well, in order to answer that question we have to cast our minds back still further – as far back as 2010.
Back then, it was still a relatively short time since the retirement of the self-proclaimed greatest spinner of all time, Shane Warne. Australia cast the net far and wide looking for a replacement – Bryce McGain, Jason Krejza, Michael Beer – the list was long. Steve Smith was one of those earmarked as a potential replacement. He bowled some leg spin, he seemed to have plenty of batting potential and a good healthy dose of chutzpah.
By the time of his debut test match – to be played at Lord’s versus Pakistan – he was only 21 years old and had played only 13 first class matches. He was coming off a storming 2009/10 season of Sheffield Shield cricket, however, where he’d compiled 772 runs at 77.2 and taken 21 wickets at a less healthy average of 44.38. He grew in form and stature as the season progressed – scoring 3 tons with the highlight being 177 off 247 balls versus Tasmania at the Bellerive Oval. It was this form that saw him called up for his first look at international Test cricket.
It’s fair to say that first series produced mixed results for the youngster. Dropped into the order at number 8, the traditional slot for the bowling all-rounder, he struggled against the wily spin of Danish Kaneria. Twice at Lord’s he was undone by the leggie’s top spinner – which would have been doubly disappointing for a rival leg spin bowler. With ball in hand, Smith had a little more success – 3 Pakistani batsmen threw away their wickets in the 2nd innings attempting to beat Smith out of the park.
The second Test at Headingley was different again. In the first innings, some marvellous bowling from Aamir and Asif saw the Australians dismissed for 88. Smith received an absolute jaffa from Aamir which swung in from outside off and bowled him through the gate. His 2nd innings knock demonstrated his potential, though. He came in at 217 – 6 with Australia barely 50 runs to the good. Batting with firstly Tim Paine and then the tail, he flayed the Pakistani attack around the ground, deploying attacking verve to good effect to plunder 77 from 100 balls. Another attacking shot saw his demise as last wicket to fall as he played a slower ball onto the stumps.
Australia lost that 2nd Test, but Smith had shown some promise.
His next involvement with the Australian team was in the ill-fated Ashes series of 2010/11.
Marcus North had been the preferred batting all-rounder at the Gabba and Adelaide Oval, but an almighty thrashing (by an innings and 71 runs) at Adelaide saw some swift changes in the team. Smith came in for North, Hughes replaced Katich through injury and Mitchell Johnson returned to replace the insipid Xavier Doherty.
In the three Test which followed, Smith’s one decent score was 54 not out in a losing cause at Sydney. It was the manner of some of his previous dismissals which was most disappointing – chopping on or being caught trying to force the pace against Jimmy Anderson 3 innings in a row across the MCG and SCG.
At the end of the series, he averaged a mere 28 with the bat and still had only those 3 wickets to show for his bowling at a cost of 220 runs.
That is the context within which the votes were cast against him. This just goes to show the underlying risk in attempting to judge a player based on their performances at 21/22 years of age on the toughest stage in cricket. He went away, worked on his batting – somewhat to the detriment of his bowling – and has become a key component of the Australian middle order.
Steven Smith, the People’s Champ, you are redeemed!
Career Highlight (at the time)
Australia are 187 for 6 at the SCG. Smith had Mitchell Johnson for company and then the tail. Jimmy Anderson is bowling well with his tail up and with great economy. What do you do? Attempt the massive off-drive with no foot movement and edge to the slips to strike a death blow to the Australian batting. Dropping a goober off your own bowling to help Ian Bell on his way to a ton in the same Test ranks pretty closely.
What they said about him
Phlegm explains his vote for Steve Smith
Spikey's view - pre-worship era
Opinions of Smith's bowling reach an all-time low
The heady days of the Australian spinner-go-round
Pup nails it in one
Ah, hindsight is a wonderful thing
flibbertyjibber said:
(For the record, it was Hurricane and Phlegm)
Hurricane
Hall of Fame Member
I stand by my vote. Cricket is like ski jumping for me. I give out points for style of which Steve(n) Smith has none. Likewise if Marty Kain took 3 10fers in a row in the plunket shield I would not be calling for his inclusion in the black caps. I have also written off Hamish Bennett for similar reasons.