2nd Test - Australia v Pakistan (Boxing Day)

[Righteo]

Today was the only day of the 5 I wasn't able to watch. Holy. s**t.

 

[Righteo]

The main thing to take out of this game for me is that Smith calls Nathan Lyon "Lyono".

 

[roscreasl98]

The main thing to take out of this game for me is that Smith calls Nathan Lyon "Lyono".

That's all u got out of the game. OK.

 

[philreich]

This is not true. Quite a few players have averaged over 60 after 90 innings.

Sobers averaged over 60 after his 143rd innings.

Ponting averaged over 60 after his 178th innings.

Fair enough - the Triple M stats man was obviously telling a porky pie then. But I still reckon Smithy is well and truly on track to finish his career as the best Australian batsman since Bradman, although Ponting may have something to say about it.

 

[frankrizzo]

Meh, it's Big Footy .... they bag anyone in here.

I assuem most of the complaints were about his captaincy, i mean he has downright awful at times when it comes to making the best use of his bowling resources but not sure why that would mean he isn't a great batsman?

He is clearly the best we have and a rare commodity for any side nowadays and that is a batsmen who is a consistent performer overseas.

 

[roscreasl98]

I assuem most of the complaints were about his captaincy, i mean he has downright awful at times when it comes to making the best use of his bowling resources but not sure why that would mean he isn't a great batsman?

He is clearly the best we have and a rare commodity for any side nowadays and that is a batsmen who is a consistent performer overseas.

He's won 3 in a row now as captain. And he's easily the best batsman in the world atm. Hope everyone gives him the respect he deserves.

 

[2006_Eagles]

Shortayhee

 

[DaRick]

We shouldn't be gifting baggy greens, keep this side together and get the ruthless Aussie spirit back. Do not change this team............

It's obvious that neither Maddinson nor Wade really justify their places, nor were either of them really in form to begin with. Maddinson also appears to lack the mentality and technique for Test match cricket, unlike Renshaw.

At this point we can't afford to be carrying obvious passengers.

 

[The_Reaper]

Yup, don't think this was fixed. Pakistan are just prone to batting collapses when the heat is on, always have been.

The match in 2010 at the scg looked a lot more suspicious with kamran akmal letting hussey off on numerous occasions. This match looked nothing like that and even that match can't be definitively described as fixed.

Dodgiest one was Kamran Akmal lifting the balls over the stumps when the runout wad on

 

[roscreasl98]

It's obvious that neither Maddinson nor Wade really justify their places, nor were either of them really in form to begin with. Maddinson also appears to lack the mentality and technique for Test match cricket, unlike Renshaw.

At this point we can't afford to be carrying obvious passengers.

Do Not Change A Winning TEAM.

 

[to1994]

To the people accusing Pakistan of fixing, do you follow any of their other tours? This happened both in England and in New Zealand. Was really disappointed in their fifth day collapse in England as they would've won the series if they'd just batted out what should've been an easy draw.

They have a serious mental problem when momentum goes against them and pretty much give up which is disappointing.

 

[FredLeDeux]

This is not true. Quite a few players have averaged over 60 after 90 innings.

Sobers averaged over 60 after his 143rd innings.

Ponting averaged over 60 after his 178th innings.

Put it another way, then.
He's currently got the highest average of any player who's had 90 innings or more.

 

[charcoalchicken]

Fair chance this was fixed

 

[DaRick]

Do Not Change A Winning TEAM.

*sigh*

It seems the selectors half-agree with me - Maddinson is out.

 

[roscreasl98]

*sigh*

It seems the selectors half-agree with me - Maddinson is out.

OK. Who's in?

 

[roscreasl98]

Put it another way, then.
He's currently got the highest average of any player who's had 90 innings or more.

He's bloody good, leave it at that.

 

[DaRick]

OK. Who's in?

Agar and O'Keefe apparently.

One of them as the second spinner makes some kind of sense, but surely not both - unless Agar has been in brilliant form and I wasn't aware of it.

If I was to drop Maddinson, I would have given Patterson a shot.

 

[roscreasl98]

To the people accusing Pakistan of fixing, do you follow any of their other tours? This happened both in England and in New Zealand. Was really disappointed in their fifth day collapse in England as they would've won the series if they'd just batted out what should've been an easy draw.

They have a serious mental problem when momentum goes against them and pretty much give up which is disappointing.

We have to take into account that they don't play any home games. They play away or at empty stadiums in Dubai in 50 degree heat. Very hard.

 

[Heater39]

Mate I don't care what the haters think. Apart from his average, which is elite, check out these stats:

* 17 centuries in 49 Tests - better than 1 every 3 Tests.
* He's 27 years old and at the peak of his powers - he may even get better.
* He's made 1000 Test runs for each of the last 3 years, and I'm not game enough to bet against him repeating the feat over the next 3 years.

Put it this way - I'm glad he's on our side!!!!!

Something that Ponting, Clarke, Tendulkar, Sangakkara and Kallis never achieved

 

[philreich]

Something that Ponting, Clarke, Tendulkar, Sangakkara and Kallis never achieved

At the very least, he's in elite company.

 

[frankrizzo]

Fair chance this was fixed

Yeah impossible to imagine a team fighting their way to number 1 in test cricket yet in that very same year losing 5 tests in a row with horrific batting collapses when faced with the slightest bit of pressure, any team who does that must be fixing right?

 

[The_Reaper]

Its pretty insulting to guys like Misbah and Younis Khan to accuse them of match fixing.

They've been around for a long time and done nothing to indicate any corruption. Misbah in particular took over as Captain shortly after terrorists shot up the Sri Lankan team and three first team players, including the then Captain and Pakistan's two best bowlers got five year suspensions and despite being Captain for half a decade has never Captained a test at home and has had to cop a lot of s**t from past players, the Pakistani public and even the taliban.

While his team has performed reasonably well in that time.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Fair enough - the Triple M stats man was obviously telling a porky pie then. But I still reckon Smithy is well and truly on track to finish his career as the best Australian batsman since Bradman, although Ponting may have something to say about it.

There are some who would throw Greg Chappell into the equation. He faced consistent bowling of a superior quality for most of his career than Ponting or Smith. It's subjective.

 

[ROOTA#6]

Its pretty insulting to guys like Misbah and Younis Khan to accuse them of match fixing.

They've been around for a long time and done nothing to indicate any corruption. Misbah in particular took over as Captain shortly after terrorists shot up the Sri Lankan team and three first team players, including the then Captain and Pakistan's two best bowlers got five year suspensions and despite being Captain for half a decade has never Captained a test at home and has had to cop a lot of s**t from past players, the Pakistani public and even the taliban.

While his team has performed reasonably well in that time.

Well said. They have a team full of talented players that can't seem to all produce at once or over a full test match

 

[philreich]

Well said. They have a team full of talented players that can't seem to all produce at once or over a full test match

Yep - using the logic of some, maybe the Aussies could be accused of match fixing in Sri Lanka.......