Test The Ashes Fifth Test January 4-8 1000hrs @ The SCG

[PhatBoy]

Nice flat tracks over in England land.

Yeah it’s hard to imagine Australia ever having had a period of flat pitches over the last 15-16 years

You know it isn’t a case of mutual exclusivity with these guys where they can BOTH be excellent and one of them has to have his achievements dismissed altogether purely because, essentially, he plays for the wrong country, when every piece of available evidence says he’s one of the greatest players the game has seen. That goes for both of them, incidentally

 

[Greenstar5]

SCG needs some stewarts on those doors.

The little things that waste time.

 

[Mofra]

Smudge has the technical form of an 8 year old playing backyard cricket, how he's made that work so effectively is amazing.

He's always been very unconventional, but is constantly working on his craft. If he's standing still for more than 30 seconds, he's shadow batting. That's the only way it has worked for him.

 

[The Lobbster]

imo hes lucky to have ever played test cricket for Australia again

Why?

Got the biggest penalty for ball tampering for a long while. I’ve never understood the call that they all should’ve been banned for life. Faf did it like a year before and got a 1 game suspension

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

How can you not call a wide umpire??

It's like if you bowl an epic gutterball in 10 pin bowling that somehow jumps onto the neighbouring lane it doesn't register as a miss

 

[Daka]

Smudge has the technical form of an 8 year old playing backyard cricket, how he's made that work so effectively is amazing.

I think it's the hand-eye coordination, his batting style looks funny at times.

 

[mike14]

He was booed and heckled last time he went to the eastern suburbs so best he stay away.

plus flood recovery is probably slightly more important...

 

[sherb]

So wide, the umpire lost sight of the ball...

I don't watch much of the BBL, but I did have it on the other night and Swepson (I think) bowled two of the widest wides I've seen at that level (or above) for a long time. In the same over too from memory.

 

[Joffaboy]

imo hes lucky to have ever played test cricket for Australia again

Well your opinion is shit imo

 

[Jimthegreat]

Root has about 3000 more runs and Smith hasn't performed that well against South Africa and New Zealand plus he missed a full year in his prime due to the sandpaper incident

Smith idea of not performing well against SA and NZ is averaging 44 and 47 against them, which is, actually, down compared to others.

Bangladesh have his measure...haha. Average 29 in his 2 games against them. He'll look forward to sorting that out this year.

 

[Pistol Night]

He's always been very unconventional, but is constantly working on his craft. If he's standing still for more than 30 seconds, he's shadow batting. That's the only way it has worked for him.

Shadow bats in his jocks at 3am apparently. But when i try it i get told to leave the pub. Double standards

 

[Sea fog]

Smudge has the technical form of an 8 year old playing backyard cricket, how he's made that work so effectively is amazing.

It may not have worked in the era of the 70s etc before helmets, bigger bats and shorter boundaries. And they didn't tend to have pop gun attacks like this either which is why comparisons with players of other eras are odious. Would have been interesting to see how he countered the likes of Ambrose, Marshall, Roberts, Holding and Garner on some of the pitches that got served up in those times.

 

[jb04]

They've scored so many for so long but this is the first time both Root AND Smith have scored a ton in the same match.

 

[SC_Power]

Smith vs Root

Interestingly their records are almost identical when considering performance in wins and in losses.

Root avg 63 in wins, 61 in draws, only 35 in losses
26/8/6 for 100’s

Smith avg 64 in wins, 85(!) in draws, only 33 in losses
24/9/3 for 100’s

It just that Root played in teams that lost a lot more than Smith has.

 

[010203]

Why use lots of words when a simple few will do

 

[two blue tiger]

Webster actually using his brain as well as his bat....

 

[Jimthegreat]

imo hes lucky to have ever played test cricket for Australia again

Well, given ICC penalties for ball tampering were a fine or one match, I don't think he was having problems playing again.

 

[Ohitsthatguy]

40 more runs would be handy

 

[Sea fog]

They've scored so many for so long but this is the first time both Root AND Smith have scored a ton in the same match.

And ironically it's a dead rubber.

 

[Pistol Night]

Webster actually using his brain as well as his bat....

Cam Green has left the chat

 

[Gough]

He's always been very unconventional, but is constantly working on his craft. If he's standing still for more than 30 seconds, he's shadow batting. That's the only way it has worked for him.

Worst of it would be the coach with a team full of kids twitching and twirling their bats to be like Smith. Mostly we aspired to be like Hughes or Chappell which was just as unrealistic but you learned a bit of technique along the way.

 

[ams4crows]

Webster just looks so much more relaxed and in control than some of our other batters, granted the pitch is good and the bowling isn't elite, but it is refreshing to watch.

 

[mike14]

Shadow bats in his jocks at 3am apparently. But when i try it i get told to leave the pub. Double standards

just means you are at the wrong pub..

 

[Juddernaut08]

And ironically it's a dead rubber.

for England. Still matters for our WTC points.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

They get frustrated because he had the chance to completely bat England out of the game, he then threw it away. Like he did in Melbourne and Adelaide and Brisbane.

It was a flat wicket with tired bowlers and the ball not doing a lot. It is legit perfect conditions and he threw it away.

If it's that easy to bat, Webster should have no problems putting on another 60-70-odd with Smith and Starc should be able to add another 20 or so of his own. 550 total, all sweet.