2nd Test at the MCG, Melbourne, 26 Dec - 30 Dec 2020

[Shri]

it feels like the series that kohli had at home vs aus when he injured his shoulder

everyone expected him to light up the series but he got worked over by starc and the others and made **** all

 

[TheJediBrah]

People **** talking Smith need to get a grip. Bloke is the best test batsmen since tendulkar/Lara.

On a different note, if aus drop head who even comes in for him. All our guys backups are either horribly out of form, proven test failures or too old to last more then a year.

Henriques is a clearly better option than Head IMO. My out of the box choice would be Maxwell, but obviously that's not going to happen.

Also would rather see Khawaja thrown in there rather than Harris, if Warner/Puc can't play.

 

[Spark]

it feels like the series that kohli had at home vs aus when he injured his shoulder

everyone expected him to light up the series but he got worked over by starc and the others and made **** all

it happens to everyone. this indian attack is in with a fair shout of being the best in the world, if you aren't completely at it they'll get you out cheaply and keep you down. kohli in 2017 (and nz earlier this year), williamson last summer; it happens.

smith is unique, however, in that if he has three poor innings in a row, then the batting qanoners will come out of the woodwork to claim that he actually was a rubbish batsman all along. no one claimed kohli and williamson were past it last summer so the attempt to do the same here is pretty transparent.

 

[Spark]

Henriques is a clearly better option than Head IMO. My out of the box choice would be Maxwell, but obviously that's not going to happen.

Also would rather see Khawaja thrown in there rather than Harris, if Warner/Puc can't play.

I think the point re: Harris is less that he's the best option per se but the only reserve opener in the biosecure bubble if Pucovski isn't fit/trusted.

 

[Prince EWS]

batting qanoners

Best

 

[Gnske]

it happens to everyone. this indian attack is in with a fair shout of being the best in the world, if you aren't completely at it they'll get you out cheaply and keep you down. kohli in 2017 (and nz earlier this year), williamson last summer; it happens.

smith is unique, however, in that if he has three poor innings in a row, then the batting qanoners will come out of the woodwork to claim that he actually was a rubbish batsman all along. no one claimed kohli and williamson were past it last summer so the attempt to do the same here is pretty transparent.

He's weird, so of course there are going to be gotchas. He's the Socrates of batting.

Notably unlike Kohli and Williamson, he's been subject to more speculation about how and when things could go wrong with his batting technique than just about anyone.

 

[Burgey]

the batting qanoners

Good from you

 

[Shri]

smith is unique, however, in that if he has three poor innings in a row, then the batting qanoners will come out of the woodwork to claim that he actually was a rubbish batsman all along.

who will take those people seriously anyway? smith is easily in the top 10 list of batsmen to play the game in the last 20 years

 

[TheJediBrah]

I think the point re: Harris is less that he's the best option per se but the only reserve opener in the biosecure bubble if Pucovski isn't fit/trusted.

Honestly I'd rather Wade stay at the top and Henriques come in rather than go back to Harris, ie:

Warner
Wade
Labu
Smith
Henriques
Green

smith is easily in the top 10 list of batsmen to play the game in the last 20 years

Not sure if being cheeky

 

[Spark]

Honestly I'd rather Wade stay at the top and Henriques come in rather than go back to Harris, ie:

Warner
Wade
Labu
Smith
Henriques
Green

Yeah I wouldn't be opposed to this. He hasn't put up the numbers but I actually think Wade has done a servicable job as opener; if he had an actual competent Test batsman beside him, which Warner is (not that that guarantees that he'll score runs against this attack, as Smith is demonstrating), then he would have done his primary job in most innings which is see off the opening bowlers without damage, which would make life infinitely easier for the middle order.

 

[honestbharani]

then the batting qanoners will come out of the woodwork to claim that he actually was a rubbish batsman all along.

Pretty sure I saw that from some Aussie posters here once Virat had that 2017 series, where, remember he was batting with a fractured shoulder 3 of the 6 innings.

 

[cnerd123]

He's weird, so of course there are going to be gotchas. He's the Socrates of batting.

Notably unlike Kohli and Williamson, he's been subject to more speculation about how and when things could go wrong with his batting technique than just about anyone.

He's even got his own Plato in Labuschange. Could be suffering for the failures of his protégé too.

 

[Gnske]

Yeah I wouldn't be opposed to this. He hasn't put up the numbers but I actually think Wade has done a servicable job as opener; if he had an actual competent Test batsman beside him, which Warner is (not that that guarantees that he'll score runs against this attack, as Smith is demonstrating), then he would have done his primary job in most innings which is see off the opening bowlers without damage, which would make life infinitely easier for the middle order.

He's been good, looked more solid than anyone else in the order at least in this test match. I think he'd pair well with Warner even if it's not a long term solution, Wade might even feel a bit more footloose with how he plays. The only thing more intimidating than one short angry man is two short angry men.

 

[Spark]

Pretty sure I saw that from some Aussie posters here once Virat had that 2017 series, where, remember he was batting with a fractured shoulder 3 of the 6 innings.

then they are idiots and also batting qanoners

 

[Flem274*]

when you're the best and you're unorthodox all the basics will want your blood.

i wouldn't be drawing a line through head. wade is doing a job and i don't back marcus harris or whoever to be any better lol so he can stay up there at least for home tests.

is usman scoring runs? realistically he's probably australias second best opening option behind warner but if he's snicking off cheap in shield cricket then there's not much to be gained recalling him in the immediate future.

 

[Gnske]

Pretty sure I saw that from some Aussie posters here once Virat had that 2017 series, where, remember he was batting with a fractured shoulder 3 of the 6 innings.

I've always maintained Anushka has ruined his batting like a reasonable cricket fan.

 

[Spark]

when you're the best and you're unorthodox all the basics will want your blood.

i wouldn't be drawing a line through head. wade is doing a job and i don't back marcus harris or whoever to be any better lol so he can stay up there at least for home tests.

is usman scoring runs? realistically he's probably australias second best opening option behind warner but if he's snicking off cheap in shield cricket then there's not much to be gained recalling him in the immediate future.

i literally don't think they're allowed to pick usman, that's the thing. he's not in the biosecure bubble and i'm pretty sure he'd have to quarantine for 14 days before being available. could be wrong though.

 

[TheJediBrah]

He's been good, looked more solid than anyone else in the order at least in this test match. I think he'd pair well with Warner even if it's not a long term solution, Wade might even feel a bit more footloose with how he plays. The only thing more intimidating than one short angry man is two short angry men.

Gnske to answer your earlier question, I've always been a fan of Wade's attempted androgenicity. Especially given he's working with the genetics of a manlet twink. He's genuinely made the best that he could from what he was given.

 

[honestbharani]

Smith will be fine. The problem with him seems to be that either his fanboys are crowing he is the best since Bradman when he is doing well and then when he is not doing well, his haterz are out crowing he is just an Adam Voges who got lucky over 70 tests. He is one of the ATG batsmen at the test level and he will figure out how to make runs again, hopefully after this series.

 

[Spark]

Smith will be fine. The problem with him seems to be that either his fanboys are crowing he is the best since Bradman when he is doing well and then when he is not doing well, his haterz are out crowing he is just an Adam Voges who got lucky over 70 tests. He is one of the ATG batsmen at the test level and he will figure out how to make runs again, hopefully after this series.

fwiw smith hasn't even reached my own personal threshold for being eligible for the discussion for greatest after bradman for a modern era batsman (>10000 test runs)

edit: should say "greatest" rather than "best" which i find too hard to define