Rank your 5 best bats from Australia post-Bradman

[Slifer]

Even this is a much harder sell considering we actually get more results compared to back then.

Back then if you lost time due to weather or other reasons it was never made back up; now it is. Now there's a test championship with more incentive to go for wins as opposed to draws. Wickets in the WI and Australia are certainly flatter than they were in the 70s or 80s ( maybe even the 90s)

 

[mr_mister]

Ambrose missed that test (4th test) and Hayden was literally dropped at least 6 times.

I didn't know that.

 

[Xix2565]

Back then if you lost time due to weather or other reasons it was never made back up; now it is. Now there's a test championship with more incentive to go for wins as opposed to draws. Wickets in the WI and Australia are certainly flatter than they were in the 70s or 80s ( maybe even the 90s)

We had more results even before the WTC were a thing.

 

[TheJediBrah]

There are more protection for batsmen now and pitches are relatively flatter but Smith has faced very good/great bowling from time to time. Examples would be:
RSA (a) 2014: Steyn, Morkel, Philander
IND (a) 2017:Jadeja, Ashwin,Yadavs, Sharma, Bhuvi
RSA (a) 2018: Philander, Rabada, Maharaj, Morkel
Ashes (a) 2013: Anderson, Broad, Swann etc etc

And that's not even counting the good to very good attacks he faced from NZ or the attacks he faced at home.

Yeah I think Smith has faced tougher batting circumstances than any of them. However, he's also had several seasons of incredibly flat home pitches. Overall his incredible performances in difficult away conditions more than makes up for it

 

[Gob]

There are more protection for batsmen now and pitches are relatively flatter but Smith has faced very good/great bowling from time to time. Examples would be:
RSA (a) 2014: Steyn, Morkel, Philander
IND (a) 2017:Jadeja, Ashwin,Yadavs, Sharma, Bhuvi
RSA (a) 2018: Philander, Rabada, Maharaj, Morkel
Ashes (a) 2013: Anderson, Broad, Swann etc etc

And that's not even counting the good to very good attacks he faced from NZ or the attacks he faced at home.

I'm as bigger TPC fan as any but that tour was a disaster for him both as a captain and as a batsman. Weird thing though is he kept getting out to Maharaj and Elgar
I'd add NZ away in 2016

 

[BazBall21]

Glad Smith being the second greatest ever Aussie bat on here is common knowledge.

 

[Adders]

Glad Smith being the second greatest ever Aussie bat on here is common knowledge.

Personally I think it is premature while he's mid career. If he retired today then yep I got no problem ranking him No2 behind The Don. BUT, if he has a career trajectory like Ponting's from here then surely he'll drop down the list?

 

[ZK$]

I’ve never really understood how players can drop down the rankings. If he’s #2 if he retired now, then surely he’s #2 no matter how the rest of his career goes.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I'd add NZ away in 2016

You could add it if NZ had won the toss and bowled in either test. They didn't and Australia got very good batting conditions against swing bowling. Khawaja, Voges (when being Bradmanesque), and Burns scored big runs.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

I’ve never really understood how players can drop down the rankings. If he’s #2 if he retired now, then surely he’s #2 no matter how the rest of his career goes.

After 107 tests Ponting averaged 59.99 (better than Smith's 60.00 exactly after 87). If his last 60 tests are like Ponting's last 60 he'll drop.

 

[ZK$]

After 107 tests Ponting averaged 59.99 (better than Smith's 60.00 exactly after 87). If his last 60 tests are like Ponting's last 60 he'll drop.

Would you rate Ponting higher if he decided to retire after 107 tests?

 

[Gob]

You could add it if NZ had won the toss and bowled in either test. They didn't and Australia got very good batting conditions against swing bowling. Khawaja, Voges (when being Bradmanesque), and Burns scored big runs.

Nah conditions were far from easy especially in the first test

 

[Gob]

After 107 tests Ponting averaged 59.99 (better than Smith's 60.00 exactly after 87). If his last 60 tests are like Ponting's last 60 he'll drop.

60 is better than 59.99 imo

 

[Adders]

Would you rate Ponting higher if he decided to retire after 107 tests?

Of course. When you're rating a player you have to judge the whole career right? Ponting's standing as a player definitely takes a hit for his end of career slump.....as will Smith's should the same happen to him.

 

[Gob]

Of course. When you're rating a player you have to judge the whole career right? Ponting's standing as a player definitely takes a hit for his end of career slump.....as will Smith's should the same happen to him.

I don't think this way of looking at things is right but it is certainly how most people look at things

Ian Botham

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Would you rate Ponting higher if he decided to retire after 107 tests?

As a batsman, yes. As a bloke, no. He stayed around and helped out when Clarke became captain and Australia were no longer all-conquering, and I respected that.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

60 is better than 59.99 imo

Useful comment. Thanks.

 

[Gob]

Useful comment. Thanks.

no problem. happy to help

 

[Adders]

I don't think this way of looking at things is right but it is certainly how most people look at things

Ian Botham

Good case in point. Botham would be the greatest cricketer ever if you cherry picked his best years.......but he isn't, not even close because you can't ignore the shite years.

Post about 2010 Jimmy Anderson stacks up as an atg but no one puts him in that bracket because it's not the whole story.

 

[ZK$]

Of course. When you're rating a player you have to judge the whole career right? Ponting's standing as a player definitely takes a hit for his end of career slump.....as will Smith's should the same happen to him.

This doesn’t really make sense to me. Ponting playing for a couple years longer than he should have to help his team doesn’t make him a worse batsman for me. With your logic, a player should retire when he’s at the end of his peak even if he’s still good enough to be selected and his team would benefit from him continuing to play.