The Steven Smith Question

[mr_mister]

As a specialist batsman, Smith averages 65 in 60 matches over 5 years. Ponting in a similar 5 year period circa '02-'06 averaged 72.
I'd rate Smith's peak on par with Ponting's despite averaging 7 runs lesser due to higher quality attacks he faced. Ponting has played an additional 11 years and done well. I'd rank him above Ponting if he can average 65+ for the next 3-4 years or so.
Right now, it is premature to say, Smith has surpassed the greats of the past like Lara, Ponting, et al. But he has a very good chance to be the second-best batsman of all time.

His average since 2014 is closer to 75 than 65

 

[Malcolm]

His average since 2014 is closer to 75 than 65

He was a specialist batsman since 2013.

 

[TheJediBrah]

His average since 2014 is closer to 75 than 65

yeah I ran it through stats guru, 73 I think for the last 5 years

He was a specialist batsman since 2013.

correct. MM used 2014 because you said in your post "over 5 years", so he was looking at literally the last 5 years.

 

[stephen]

Since 9 Dec 2014 Smith has played 43 tests, scored 4854 runs and averaged 75.84 with 20 centuries and 16 half centuries. That's almost one century every two tests and slightly better than one century every 4 innings (77 innings in that time).

 

[stephen]

As a follow up to my previous post, he averages over 100 in New Zealand and the West Indies, averages 96 in Australia, 70 in England and India and 41 in Sri Lanka. He does average 29 in Bangladesh and 23 in South Africa though.

So really to get him out you basically have to play him in one of three countries.

 

[trundler]

He'll probably improve his record in SA soon.

 

[vcs]

He averages 53 in SA. Guess it's not great by his standards, so you're probably right. Below 50 in India and UAE too.

EDIT : Duh sorry, looked at strike rates by mistake. early 40s in SA, SL and UAE, 60 in India

 

[TheJediBrah]

He does average 23 in South Africa though.

He averages 53 in SA.

I put it through stats guru and it comes out as 41.10, not sure where you guys got these numbers from

 

[stephen]

I put it through stats guru and it comes out as 41.10, not sure where you guys got these numbers from

I was referring to his last 43 tests only.

 

[StephenZA]

What is interesting about Smith is he averages 41.1 in SA and 42.4 against SA in Aus. Pretty close considering the flat Aus wickets.

 

[vcs]

I can see "bowling dry" being a very productive strategy to someone like Kohli, or even Root to a lesser extent, but it just doesn't seem to work against Smith.

 

[the big bambino]

Yeah he only really played the one series against them though. Like I said the peak of England being a strong pace attack was pretty short, unfortunately. They were looking pretty ordinary by the 06/07 Ashes. IIRC Hoggard was looking their most dangerous bowler.

Makes you wonder why England playing the same team format were so poor in 06/07. They lost Jones but the other three pacemen were still in their late 20s and theoretically at their peak. Anderson came in for Jones and over the series Mahmood and Panesar were selected for various reasons. I guess the reason why England struggled in 06/07 is that Hoggard and Anderson were limited by the conditions here and Anderson wasn't like the bowler he became. Still, they could have done a supporting job except Flintoff wasn't as effective - maybe the captaincy affected him or maybe he lost the ability to reverse it. Harmison's lines just fell apart. So an attack that was good on the team sheet but everyone of them was a diminished performer compared to 05.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Makes you wonder why England playing the same team format were so poor in 06/07. They lost Jones but the other three pacemen were still in their late 20s and theoretically at their peak. Anderson came in for Jones and over the series Mahmood and Panesar were selected for various reasons. I guess the reason why England struggled in 06/07 is that Hoggard and Anderson were limited by the conditions here and Anderson wasn't like the bowler he became. Still, they could have done a supporting job except Flintoff wasn't as effective - maybe the captaincy affected him or maybe he lost the ability to reverse it. Harmison's lines just fell apart. So an attack that was good on the team sheet but everyone of them was a diminished performer compared to 05.

I'd like to say it was because England weren't ball tampering in 06/07, but it's probably as you mention mostly just the home ground advantage. Big difference in conditions between Aus and Eng.

 

[Prince EWS]

I can see "bowling dry" being a very productive strategy to someone like Kohli, or even Root to a lesser extent, but it just doesn't seem to work against Smith.

I can't really explain it either. He scores a bigger percentage of his runs on the leg to the point where it should do, other than perhaps because of how wide the deliveries he can work to leg are. Maybe the dry line they bowl to Root and Kohli would actually be given wide to Smith.

tbh

 

[GIMH]

Makes you wonder why England playing the same team format were so poor in 06/07. They lost Jones but the other three pacemen were still in their late 20s and theoretically at their peak. Anderson came in for Jones and over the series Mahmood and Panesar were selected for various reasons. I guess the reason why England struggled in 06/07 is that Hoggard and Anderson were limited by the conditions here and Anderson wasn't like the bowler he became. Still, they could have done a supporting job except Flintoff wasn't as effective - maybe the captaincy affected him or maybe he lost the ability to reverse it. Harmison's lines just fell apart. So an attack that was good on the team sheet but everyone of them was a diminished performer compared to 05.

Combination of factors did for Flintoff that series. Still had his moments but wasn’t himself. Harrison was shot to pieces. Anderson should never have been there.

Hoggard had a decent series though.

 

[stephen]

Flintoff being captain was a terrible decision, both in hindsight and foresight.

 

[stephen]

I also think Simon Jones was a vastly underrated bowler. Getting injured in the 02/03 series was a massive blow and he was the best bowler in the 05 series.

 

[Pothas]

Don't think he is underrated at all. He just never played again.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

I don't get what that is showing. Is it how many streaks of 20 tests had averages over 60 and 50?

Number of batsmen avgng 60 plus and 50 plus.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Between 2000-2006

Ponting 65.7
Yousuf 63.3
Flower 63.3
Kallis 61.6
Dravid 61.5

And 10 more batsmen avgd 50plus for the period. Probably the easiest batting era ever.