Australian Tour of South Africa

[bennymacca]

every time i see philander hooping it around corners with the keeper standing up i wonder what might have been for sayers.

if only sayers could bat too...

[DOC]

Steve smith is truly amazing but good god hes annoying to watch as an opposition supporter. Does he really need to point his bat all the time!

No he does not need to. But if it annoys the opposition then he can point it as much as he likes. He is the best batsman that anyone on this forum has ever seen live.

First real test for the Aussies this summer, see how the rest of them go.

[bennymacca]

Steve smith is truly amazing but good god hes annoying to watch as an opposition supporter. Does he really need to point his bat all the time!

No he does not need to. But if it annoys the opposition then he can point it as much as he likes. He is the best batsman that anyone on this forum has ever seen live.

First real test for the Aussies this summer, see how the rest of them go.

still has a way to go to beat ponting imo

best patch of form ive ever seen, but needs to do it for a decade to beat ponting imo

[mighty_tiger_79]

Steve smith is truly amazing but good god hes annoying to watch as an opposition supporter. Does he really need to point his bat all the time!

No he does not need to. But if it annoys the opposition then he can point it as much as he likes. He is the best batsman that anyone on this forum has ever seen live.

First real test for the Aussies this summer, see how the rest of them go.

Ponting still for me

[The Dark Knight]

Steve smith is truly amazing but good god hes annoying to watch as an opposition supporter. Does he really need to point his bat all the time!

No he does not need to. But if it annoys the opposition then he can point it as much as he likes. He is the best batsman that anyone on this forum has ever seen live.

First real test for the Aussies this summer, see how the rest of them go.

still has a way to go to beat ponting imo

best patch of form ive ever seen, but needs to do it for a decade to beat ponting imo

Spot on. Ponting still number one but Smith is on track to be better than him, hopefully he can keep it up!

[Computer Crashed]

Shaun marsh is the one for me that should be opening with warner yes he has had His chances but he is def good enough to do the job at the top of the order. Bancroft should be banished now and put some time in to trav head to bat 5 he is a class above when he is on and it will pay dividends in years to come. He will play test cricket for aust for a long time so get the kid in there now.

But still doesn't solve the problem why we r struggling to fill the opening spot with warner. But short term give marsh another crack up the top.

Soz Robran but you don't shift blokes around to fill holes, Marsh is settled, not a 10 year prospect at the top of the order.
Bancroft isn't up to it, knicks behind to much which says he can't handle a swinging ball, Renshaw couldn't make a run earlier in the year but looked fantastic from day dot when he debuted, probably should have gave him the ashes series regardless.
No SS cricketer has stood up and said pick me.

Agreed, really need to keep Marsh at 5 as he's settled there now. But I can see him being promoted to open and Handscomb will slot into 5 if they want to drop Bancroft.

And in terms of SS batsman putting their hand up for selection, Maxwell is perhaps the next inline but he's really only a number 6 at international level. Our lack of top order batsman depth that could likely play test cricket is a concern.

Bancroft not up to it........Put Renshaw on the next plane

What I find astonishing is out of our whole country we don't have 2 walk up start opening batsmen.
Warner - yes, but we are still searching since Langer & Hayden retired.
Why ?

Looking at the guys in the SS- Renshaw obviously next inline then you have Weatherald, Harris and Burns after that. Decent shield players but again depth is a concern.

Just my opinion, Handscombe shouldn't even be playing test cricket.
Philander would have a gift every time he bowls to him.

[LaughingKookaburra]

Seen Tendulkar, Richards and Lara live. He ain’t better than any of them yet.

[The Dark Knight]

24th test match 50 for Smith.

[bennymacca]

looked missing leg easily but hawkeye shows otherwise

lucky they didnt have a review

[Jim05]

These flogs need to get a bigger crowd than a Shield match before they worry about us sharing Boxing Day.

[Jim05]

Real poor shot from Smith

[PatowalongaPirate]

S Marsh gone for 40.

5/177.

[Corona Man]

5/225 at the close of play. Just 76 overs in the day. Interesting deck not really offering much for the bowlers, and not that easy to bat on either.

[LaughingKookaburra]

350 I reckon is a very good score on that pitch. It's not seaming sideways but it's offering movement. Spinner gets a couple of bigger moving balls. 280 is par I reckon.

[Booney]

Steve smith is truly amazing but good god hes annoying to watch as an opposition supporter. Does he really need to point his bat all the time!

No he does not need to. But if it annoys the opposition then he can point it as much as he likes. He is the best batsman that anyone on this forum has ever seen live.

First real test for the Aussies this summer, see how the rest of them go.

No, he's not at all. He's in some exceptional form at the moment, has been for about 2 years, actually. He is however almost unbearable to watch.

Ponting, Lara, Kohli, Dravid, Sehwag. M.Waugh I'd rather watch make runs than Smith.

[Lightning McQueen]

No, he's not at all. He's in some exceptional form at the moment, has been for about 2 years, actually. He is however almost unbearable to watch.

Ponting, Lara, Kohli, Dravid, Sehwag. M.Waugh I'd rather watch make runs than Smith.

Yeah, he's very unconventional and must have amazing hand-eye co-ordination but I don't think anyone was as majestic as Lara.

[bennymacca]

Steve smith is truly amazing but good god hes annoying to watch as an opposition supporter. Does he really need to point his bat all the time!

No he does not need to. But if it annoys the opposition then he can point it as much as he likes. He is the best batsman that anyone on this forum has ever seen live.

First real test for the Aussies this summer, see how the rest of them go.

No, he's not at all. He's in some exceptional form at the moment, has been for about 2 years, actually. He is however almost unbearable to watch.

Ponting, Lara, Kohli, Dravid, Sehwag. M.Waugh I'd rather watch make runs than Smith.

he didnt say the best to watch though, he just said best.

and if he keeps this up for another few years i dont think there will be any argument

[am Bays]

Was bloody good test match cricket last night.

[Booney]

he didnt say the best to watch though, he just said best.

and if he keeps this up for another few years i dont think there will be any argument

There's only two measures really, average for the numbers guru's and appeal to the eye for the lovers of the craft and he'll never be #1 for either so....

[bennymacca]

350 I reckon is a very good score on that pitch. It's not seaming sideways but it's offering movement. Spinner gets a couple of bigger moving balls. 280 is par I reckon.

reckon i heard them say 288 or something was the average first innings score on that deck - but also that its a bit slower than usual so maybe a few more