***Official*** Pakistan in Australia 2016/17

[Spark]

I mean Smith looked the most comfortable batsman in 4 out of the 6 innings in that series. He didn't make a big score, but that kind of happens when you run yourself out when you get your real shot at making a hundred.

 

[Blocky]

Fascinating analysis.

Almost as useful as yours.

I have no problem with Smith scoring runs, he's good at what he does and no team seems to work out that they can't bowl their usual areas and expect to have any success against him. He looks decidedly average when high quality pace bowlers are going at him and the ball is moving and he's got one of the worst aesthetics in cricket, but credit to him, he knows how to score runs in these conditions.

What I do have a problem with is people that don't seem to think he's lucky to have been dropped, to have edged one without any appeal and to have had several close-ish LBW shouts against the leggie.

 

[Gob]

I mean Smith looked the most comfortable batsman in 4 out of the 6 innings in that series. He didn't make a big score, but that kind of happens when you run yourself out when you get your real shot at making a hundred.

And running out of partners

 

[Black_Warrior]

Other than Rahat and Sarfraz's drop. don't think Pakistan got all that wrong today but that's test cricket - always more than the sum of it's parts. These are things that cost you test matches.

 

[Blocky]

Guess that had nothing to do with the bowling.

Uhm, duh..

That's the entire point. The guy can't score when the ball is moving.

 

[Spark]

I have no problem with Smith scoring runs,

Really? Because the fact that you can't resist having a crack at anyone who rates him says otherwise.

 

[listento_me]

I live in Brisbane. i don't think weather is going to play a major part in this test. It doesn't feel stormy at all at present, not a lot of humidity around. Any rain will come in short, sharp showers, no long drizzly days. Not a cloud in sight at present, balmy sub tropical day in what the locals call Qld "Gods own Country" 3 1/2 hours before play starts, wish i could be there (may go on W/E).

That's good to hear. Although showers can disrupt play.

 

[Blocky]

Really? Because the fact that you can't resist having a crack at anyone who rates him says otherwise.

I didn't have a crack at anyone rating Smith; this whole diatribe started because I mentioned Australia had yet another day of luck that contributed to them being massively ahead in the match.

From that point on, you guys got massively defensive about nothing.

I'm off to bed, I'm sure I'll come back to infractions tomorrow because people get sensitive over their team and their Baby Jesus.

 

[listento_me]

Other than Rahat and Sarfraz's drop. don't think Pakistan got all that wrong today but that's test cricket - always more than the sum of it's parts. These are things that cost you test matches.

Even a single dropped chance is enough to change a match, two are unforgivable especially if one is from the keeper himself.

Also how serious is amirs injury?

 

[Starfighter]

Well that turned out to be very good day for us in the end. Now we need to pick up and push to around 450 or so. I think the scoreboard pressure will help considering how flat the pitch is. Getting Pakistan in against a new or newish ball in the last session wouldn't go awry.

Well done to Smith, and Renshaw played a good innings too.

 

[Starfighter]

Also how serious is amirs injury?

He bowled okay with the new ball so it seems that it isn't that serious, but examination might reveal something different.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Almost as useful as yours.

I have no problem with Smith scoring runs, he's good at what he does and no team seems to work out that they can't bowl their usual areas and expect to have any success against him. He looks decidedly average when high quality pace bowlers are going at him and the ball is moving and he's got one of the worst aesthetics in cricket, but credit to him, he knows how to score runs in these conditions.

This makes sense. Where we differ is how much we value the part in bold. He does look ugly aesthetically but as you acknowledged ,yourself, he knows how to score runs and I value that over everything else. What I would point out though is that the vast majority of C9 commentators have always prided themselves on how they are all about the 'look' and 'aesthetics' of a player and likes of Chappell have on various occasions when analysing Lara, Tendulkar, Ponting pointed out how he often goes by how it feels when you see them and all that and Warne is always on about that too.

They obviously have no problem appreciating Smith now..had he been an overseas player, it would have been a different conversation though.

What I do have a problem with is people that don't seem to think he's lucky to have been dropped, to have edged one without any appeal and to have had several close-ish LBW shouts against the leggie.

This is problematic. What you're describing as lucky is also called test cricket.

 

[Gob]

Yup good day for Estraya and good knock from the worlds best batsman. Standing up when his team needs him the most as he has done so often in the past.

 

[Spikey]

In conclusion, being dropped and not being appealed against has nothing to do with "calls" going his way.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Typical Pakistani fielding.

 

[Starfighter]

Yeah the drops and whatever are a bit lucky, but you need that in cricket. I didn't think Smith was that lucky or anything.

 

[Compton]

If I had to pick my weakness as a batsman, I think "world class attack featuring the quickest and best seamers on the planet" would be one I'd be happy with.

Smith's the best batsman in the world in the longer format. He just piles on runs.

 

[cnerd123]

Good thing Peter uses his Hands to bat and not to Comb.

 

[Starfighter]

I don't think you average 58 across 48 tests without having skill to back it up. Sure he could decline or whatever, and SA had his measure to some extent, but he's been fantastic these past couple of years.

 

[KRIS 148]

Weirdly paranoid reaction you accuse others of tbh.

Smithy's a great player, it's really no insult to point out he's had a lot of luck today.

The good thing is he has made them pay for the keeper's butter fingers. He is averaging @77 in day/niters so loves the pinkie.