Ashes 3rd test @ The WACA

[Power Raid]

for me SMarsh has been the surprise packet of the ashes. possibly our second best player so far.

 

[Restricted Free Agent]

Smith is about to start inventing shots. He's incredibly bored.

 

[Gough]

Chappelli's was more of a hook shot.

I don't really remember Chappelli although the first Test I ever saw was his last. He scored fifty and batted out the final session with Bruce Laird.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

for me SMarsh has been the surprise packet of the ashes. possibly our second best player so far.

MMarsh....

 

[MarkCatsFan]

Boundary cover to the balls at full pace, that's gotta sting.

 

[wolmeister]

Ignorant criticism is frustrating. This thread and others have been full of people jeering at his Test average and expecting him to fail with the bat. Anyone with half an eye on the Shield this season would have known that he has been batting really well, and (more importantly) has gone a long way to rectifying the problems that caused him to struggle last time around. I doubt anyone who has actually been watching him play is that shocked by what we're seeing.

If people were worried about his selection because his bowling is pretty underdone and he hasn't had a lot of match practice since shoulder surgery, I would understand it - because that stuff's actually true. But most of the negativity is coming from people who clearly have NFI what they're talking about.

The exact same thing happened with Steve Smith when he came back into the side.

I thought they should have left him at Shield level for longer. However, it’s clear he’s put a lot of work into his batting and it’s paying off. Good knock so far; hope he cashes in here.

 

[footyfan1978]

Danny had the DK Lillee clone action.

So did I...lol
Damien Fleming tried it out too.
DK no one could really do like him.
****ing legend.

 

[Forward Press]

Well played Mitch.

That will help shut up the haters for a little while and makes up for the dropped catch.

 

[ROOTA#6]

Smith is about to start inventing shots. He's incredibly bored.

Might start batting left handed

 

[imperial_oz]

100 run partnership from 133 balls. Thats a pretty good scoring rate.

The fast outfield helps with that

 

[The_Reaper]

Chappell does look impressive at it in old footage before our time but Ponting, Blewett and Elliott were damn fine at after the mid 1990's. Any of them were great examples to follow of playing that shot.

Ponting was amazing. Pulling off the front foot against quick bowlers takes incredibly ability and reflexes.

 

[sonnywalters]

Is there a bigger ****wit on tv than Ian Healy?

 

[yakka man]

Is that Anderson fielding in Smith's way again?

 

[GotTheGoodes]

Yeah, that Punter pullshot is pretty much my fav shot by any player ever. Was absolutely beautiful.

 

[RookiePick]

sweet Mmarsh runs. Just the salve for all the hurt anoos' on BF

 

[roscreasl98]

Ponting was amazing. Pulling off the front foot against quick bowlers takes incredibly ability and reflexes.

He had forearms like tree trunks.

 

[Power Raid]

lucky there

 

[estibador]

Best shot ever was the G Chappell on drive.

Bit before my time unfortunately.

Lara comes to mind when I think of my favourite on-drive.

Ponting for the pull shot. M Waugh off the pads. D Martyn for the cover drive.

 

[MeltFlog]

Smith is about to start inventing shots. He's incredibly bored.

Yep, he needs to refocus. Still need plenty yet to be on top.

 

[Andronicus]

I hate measured and valuable 50's.

I'd much rather a scratchy single figure score.

#onlywestaussieslikegoodinningsfromamarsh

 

[danielnajdek]

Peter Overton huh Warnie

 

[Gough]

Yeah, that Punter pullshot is pretty much my fav shot by any player ever. Was absolutely beautiful.

Hard to look past a David Gower cover drive.

 

[roscreasl98]

Bit before my time unfortunately.

Lara comes to mind when I think of my favourite on-drive.

Ponting for the pull shot. M Waugh off the pads. D Martyn for the cover drive.

Yep the M Waugh clip off the pads.
Made it look so easy.

 

[Woody15]

Yeah, that Punter pullshot is pretty much my fav shot by any player ever. Was absolutely beautiful.

That and I loved Damien Martyn through offside.

 

[Demosthenes]

Yeah, sure, all that is fair. Nonetheless, that is the Shield, and really doesn't prove that much - just look at Bancroft.

The fact that Shield success doesn't guarantee Test success is beside the point, and is basically how people who don't watch the Shield justify ignoring the Shield.

The point is that Marsh failed at Test level because he lacked temperament and struggled off the back foot, and anyone who'd seen him play recently would have known that he has improved both those things exponentially.

You can't blame people for being disappointed he was selected before Maxwell though. Maxwell has been in better form and was one of our best batsmen in India. Reasonable for people to suggest Marsh was not next in line.

Maxwell was never competing against Marsh, because Maxwell is not a fourth pace option. If they didn't want four pacemen, Marsh wouldn't have been selected.