2nd best, after Bradman ?

[The Passenger]

So all the good ones were killed except the don? Wtf

Plus Bradman averaged 97 from 37 tests before the war broke out anyway. He was already a legend.

Alec Bedser played in both the 46/47 and 48 Ashes series and Jim Laker joined him for the 48 series. Both amongst the finest of their respective crafts to walk on a field.

 

[The Passenger]

It’s fair enough to say Bradmans the best ever, but I don’t think the margin would be as great as the numbers suggest.

No chance Bradman averages 99 today with the busy schedule, video analysis, supremely fit bowlers who don’t smoke during the drinks break, and world class fielding.

But then modern batsmen get the advantage of themselves being supremely fit (batting can be a more arduous task then people think), being able to work on technical flaws in the nets, stronger bats with thicker edges, better prepared wickets and shorter boundaries.

This swings both ways.

 

[Pippen94]

But then modern batsmen get the advantage of themselves being supremely fit (batting can be a more arduous task then people think), being able to work on technical flaws in the nets, stronger bats with thicker edges, better prepared wickets and shorter boundaries.

This swings both ways.

Herath & Philander weren't super fit yet took Australia apart in recent times.

 

[Dayan Warna]

In orders era there was just him, miandad, sunny gavaskar and viv Richard's who averaged 50.

So by the averages of his era border stood out.

The noughties saw Australia have several batsmen in each test side averaging 50 and similarly now.

Batting technology, pitches and rules have changed over time.

I think the fact g Chappelle, Smith, punter and border compared with their peers of their era are good arguments for all to be considered in the mix.

Lara and tendulkar also in the mix if you look outside Australia

 

[Slysh]

Stolen from reddit

Steve Smith's last 8 test innings against England: 239, 76, 102*, 83, 144, 142, 92, 60* (current).

938 runs at 156.33 ...

Unstoppable

 

[Blue Arrow]

Anybody here old enough to have seen Neil Harvey play?
He is probably in the mix as second best also, a lot of the Packer era players adored his batting.
He only finished with an average of 48 but he really did drop off at the end.

 

[Gough]

Anybody here old enough to have seen Neil Harvey play?
He is probably in the mix as second best also, a lot of the Packer era players adored his batting.
He only finished with an average of 48 but he really did drop off at the end.

Saw him bat at the Les Favell match testimonial in 1987, he was pushing 60 but still moved well.

 

[PhatBoy]

Saw him bat at the Les Favell match testimonial in 1987, he was pushing 60 but still moved well.

I bet Chappelli gave a good speech

 

[PhatBoy]

It’s been said in this forum before but the two great South Africans gave everyone too young to see them a bit of a treat in the 90s - Barry Richards made a decent score I think in the Allan Border tribute match (more famous for Fatty’s catch) and timed the ball like peak Damien Martyn.

In the Bradman All Stars match a few years later Graeme Pollock made 70-odd and didn’t break a sweat.

 

[Gough]

I bet Chappelli gave a good speech

It was a great day. Still the program signed by both sides Bradman, Lindwall and Miller.

 

[Badesumofu]

From 2013 onwards Smith has made 16 first innings tons from 33 innings at an average of about 110. That is stunning.

Assuming based on the title that this is the Steve Smith thread, btw.

 

[Slysh]

From 2013 onwards Smith has made 16 first innings tons from 33 innings at an average of about 110. That is stunning.

Assuming based on the title that this is the Steve Smith thread, btw.

If it wasn't before it is now.

Debate over, Smith is just the modern GOAT!

 

[cricketnut14]

From 2013 onwards Smith has made 16 first innings tons from 33 innings at an average of about 110. That is stunning.

Assuming based on the title that this is the Steve Smith thread, btw.

yeah it was.

I think he may have g chappell and ponting covered by the time he finishes.

he may not get to ponting's sheer weight of number of tests and test runs, but looks like he will have him covered elsewhere (batting ave).

in terms of runs smith is only half way there.

6591 @ 43.07 in 101 tests and 16 more tons required to match ponting. smith may not have the time on his side to play another 101 tests, but he already has 26 tons in 67 tests and looks like he could get the 16 required tons. if he does play another 101 tests we are in for a hell of a ride.

 

[PhatBoy]

If smith times his retirement right I can’t see him averaging less than 58-60.

As an eye player like an Amla or Pietersen age will undoubtedly throw up some issues somewhere along the line as he ages but his record is so amazing now that even two years of playing on reputation won’t hurt him much

 

[DAlembert]

yeah it was.

I think he may have g chappell and ponting covered by the time he finishes.

he may not get to ponting's sheer weight of number of tests and test runs, but looks like he will have him covered elsewhere (batting ave).

in terms of runs smith is only half way there.

6591 @ 43.07 in 101 tests and 16 more tons required to match ponting. smith may not have the time on his side to play another 101 tests, but he already has 26 tons in 67 tests and looks like he could get the 16 required tons. if he does play another 101 tests we are in for a hell of a ride.

Whatever Smith...and let's face it he isn't going to get any better. His body of work still has a long way to go to match Ponting. Ponting tarnished his record ever so slightly by hanging on just a bit too long. It's easy to be bullish on Smith who is at the absolute peak of his batting career as I have said before between 26-34. He is at the goldilocks age of 30. He will get to play plenty of digs in Oz where our wickets favour the batters forget about the bloody Kookaburra these drop in wickets and downsized grounds absolutely favour the guys with the big modern bats.

 

[Pykie]

Smith might break another record from the pack of those thought previously one of Bradmans "unbreakable" records.


He needs 5 more 100's in England to beat Don Bradman's record of 11 Ashes tons in England.

The highest number of English Ashes tons in England is 5.

He probably plays in at least 6, possibly 11 more tests in England.

If you take into account his conversion rate and him potentially slowing down later in his career, his current stats are actually very correct, because of his very slow start to his career as a spinner.

If he plays 20 more innings in England he is on track for 12 tons in total in England.

If Smith gets another one at the oval, there's a destinct possibility he might do it in the same number of tests as Bradman in the same amount of tours.

 

[cricketnut14]

Whatever Smith...and let's face it he isn't going to get any better. His body of work still has a long way to go to match Ponting. Ponting tarnished his record ever so slightly by hanging on just a bit too long. It's easy to be bullish on Smith who is at the absolute peak of his batting career as I have said before between 26-34. He is at the goldilocks age of 30. He will get to play plenty of digs in Oz where our wickets favour the batters forget about the bloody Kookaburra these drop in wickets and downsized grounds absolutely favour the guys with the big modern bats.

then i guess every batsman should be averaging 60+ then

 

[DAlembert]

then i guess every batsman should be averaging 60+ then

If you were a cricket nut you would no that batsman's averages have been inflated by the roads that batsman get to bat on in Australia. So instead of being a smart arse offer a reasonable comment.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Smith is by far the best batsmen outside of Australia too. Here's the averages of current batsmen away from home:

Smith: 56.89
Williamson: 47.39
Rahane: 46.76
Kohli: 46.12
Root: 43.56
Ali: 43.27
Chandimal: 40.28
Taylor: 40.24
Latham: 40.16

 

[cricketnut14]

If you were a cricket nut you would no that batsman's averages have been inflated by the roads that batsman get to bat on in Australia. So instead of being a smart arse offer a reasonable comment.

are you dirty on last nights footy result still ? sheeeesh

you are putting smith down - what i meant is if you are saying all pitches in australia are roads, then why aren't his contemporaries averaging 60+ like him ?
they can't be roads if only smith and warner average 45+ in first class cricket here.

 

[DAlembert]

are you dirty on last nights footy result still ? sheeeesh

you are putting smith down - what i meant is if you are saying all pitches in australia are roads, then why aren't his contemporaries averaging 60+ like him ?
they can't be roads if only smith and warner average 45+ in first class cricket here.

No not putting Smith down he is sensational. Averages generally amongst Ozzie batsman have gone from a benchmark of 40 back in the day to 50 in this era. I believe the wickets better bats and smaller boundaries have contributed to that. Smith obviously is the best of these modern batters and his averages certainly reflect that..................As for Geelong. Same old same old finals performance.

 

[Hotdees]

Smith is by far the best batsmen outside of Australia too. Here's the averages of current batsmen away from home:

Smith: 56.89
Williamson: 47.39
Rahane: 46.76
Kohli: 46.12
Root: 43.56
Ali: 43.27
Chandimal: 40.28
Taylor: 40.24
Latham: 40.16

The averages for all those guys below Smith are inflated as well because they get to play in away tests on roads in Australia. Stephen Smith doesn’t get that privilege

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

No not putting Smith down he is sensational. Averages generally amongst Ozzie batsman have gone from a benchmark of 40 back in the day to 50 in this era. I believe the wickets better bats and smaller boundaries have contributed to that. Smith obviously is the best of these modern batters and his averages certainly reflect that..................As for Geelong. Same old same old finals performance.

Who averages 50 in this era?

Smith does.
Voges did for about a year.
Hussey and Clarke did but they've been out of the game for 5+ years now.
Warner, Rogers and Khawaja have averaged 40-45.
Everyone else is <40.

 

[DAlembert]

Who averages 50 in this era?

Smith does.
Voges did for about a year.
Hussey and Clarke did but they've been out of the game for 5+ years now.
Warner, Rogers and Khawaja have averaged 40-45.
Everyone else is <40.

If you read my post correctly..you would have seen I stated 50 was the new benchmark. There are more players who have finished with averages above 50 in the modern era. Modern era to me is from 2000 onwards....Hayden Clarke Hussey Ponting S Waugh..Gilchrist ave over 50 until his last season or two took him to 47. You could make arguments that there were quite a few batters between the second WW that were equal or better than any of these guys but did not ave 50. Smith clearly at this stage an outlier. So was Hussey for a few years.

 

[cricketnut14]

No not putting Smith down he is sensational. Averages generally amongst Ozzie batsman have gone from a benchmark of 40 back in the day to 50 in this era. I believe the wickets better bats and smaller boundaries have contributed to that. Smith obviously is the best of these modern batters and his averages certainly reflect that..................As for Geelong. Same old same old finals performance.

you still aint making sense though - no one is averaging 50 in first class cricket in australia these day like yesteryear.