Opinion Cricket thread

[Firestarter]

Geezus. Now M&M with a century. Marsh brothers making us eat our words.

 

[Nate7]

The forecast for days 4 & 5 ain't great, from memory... So a draw is still a huge possibility here if this pitch continues to be a road.

And that's why I think Mitch and Steve have been pushing the run rate along as well as the pitch starting to crack.

 

[DaveyBoy123]

And that's why I think Mitch and Steve have been pushing the run rate along as well as the pitch starting to crack.

Unsure Smith is pushing it along (since he's dropped from a strike rate of about 75 just before tea to 61 now), but in general; yes.

They've actually only been going at 3 an over for the past 20 overs... And that includes Root & Malan bowling. Smith looks stuffed.

 

[Nate7]

Unsure Smith is pushing it along (since he's dropped from a strike rate of about 75 just before tea to 61 now), but in general; yes.

They've actually only been going at 3 an over for the past 20 overs... And that includes Root & Malan bowling. Smith looks stuffed.

I should've said across the day in comparison to the past two tests.
But they both looked like trying to hurry it on the first two sessions and here I was thinking 600 by close of play - which I predicted 1 hour in.

 

[DaveyBoy123]

I should've said across the day in comparison to the past two tests.
But they both looked like trying to hurry it on the first two sessions and here I was thinking 600 by close of play - which I predicted 1 hour in.

True that. They'll be lucky to get to 550 now.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

Mitch Marsh ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 

[the big lebowski]

Thank you

No one else in my life seem to be acknowledging this

 

[the big lebowski]

Yeah smith just batted the day.

No big deal.

 

[kangaspurs]

How do you even begin to describe Steve Smith? When does he sit in the pantheon of Australian sporting greats now, even at 28, perhaps only halfway through his career?

In relative terms you could argue that he is currently the greatest athlete in the world atm in any sport.

 

[Passmore]

Some amazing stats & records concerning Steve Smith's last 4 years in this article:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/21780489/steven-smith-glorious-four-year-run

Who would've thought this was possible when he basically came into the side as a bowling all rounder.

Gone past Ponting now. Although I still rate Border the best in my time due to who he faced.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[Twinkletoes]

Smith's hunger for runs and powers of concentration to occupy the crease for so long are both incredible. Likewise his hand eye coordination. He'd be very very frustrating to bowl to.

I hope we come out swinging tomorrow, hopefully setting up a 200+ lead, and the bowlers can then go to work.

Barring major rain delays the Poms are utterly rooted in this one.

 

[Firestarter]

My inferiority complex reared up something ugly with his initial selection into the team but he is a real champion.

 

[koshari]

Smith's hunger for runs and powers of concentration to occupy the crease for so long are both incredible. Likewise his hand eye coordination. He'd be very very frustrating to bowl to.

I hope we come out swinging tomorrow, hopefully setting up a 200+ lead, and the bowlers can then go to work.

Barring major rain delays the Poms are utterly rooted in this one.

4 calendar years with > 1000 runs definitely supports this observation.

 

[koshari]

Who would've thought this was possible when he basically came into the side as a bowling all rounder.

Gone past Ponting now. Although I still rate Border the best in my time due to who he faced.

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Steve Waugh for me, the complete package,very intelligent captain, think of how even better he could have been if his medium pacers were not interrupted with injury. no doubt AB was a great of the game as well though.

 

[koshari]

Unsure Smith is pushing it along (since he's dropped from a strike rate of about 75 just before tea to 61 now), but in general; yes.

They've actually only been going at 3 an over for the past 20 overs... And that includes Root & Malan bowling. Smith looks stuffed.

was more due to the fielding positions, prolly the most defensive test field i have seen set in a long time, long periods with only a single slip in an attacking field position, everyone else saving runs.

 

[gokangas]

Interesting to see when we declare as weather looks likely to interfere judging by BoM forecasts.

 

[darko]

Who would've thought this was possible when he basically came into the side as a bowling all rounder.

Gone past Ponting now. Although I still rate Border the best in my time due to who he faced.

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For me Ricky Ponting is our greatest batsman in the last 30-odd years.

 

[koshari]

For me Ricky Ponting is our greatest batsman in the last 30-odd years.

BFNAAK

 

[DarkPhoenix]

How do you even begin to describe Steve Smith? When does he sit in the pantheon of Australian sporting greats now, even at 28, perhaps only halfway through his career?

In relative terms you could argue that he is currently the greatest athlete in the world atm in any sport.

Think they showed a stat yesterday.

Smith is rocketing up the charts of Hundreds as Captain of a team.

The only one that has got to the number of hundreds he's on in less games is Sir Donald Bradman, and that was only 3 or 4 tests earlier.

 

[naturally north]

Interesting to see when we declare as weather looks likely to interfere judging by BoM forecasts.

I think you can't accommodate rain with two days remaining- we need to lead by 300, which I'd suggest would be an hour after lunch in normal mode. I'd hate us to lose a heap of wickets going all 20/20. Scoring 150 in a session with a defensive field will be a challenge.

The Poms will be exhausted and that would leave four sessions to bowl them out.

 

[boneofshin]

Don’t think we’ll have to worry about deciding when to declare now.

 

[shinboner magic]

Have a go - it’s like boycott batting

 

[Hojuman]

" GARY " ! 1st ball Root ! Haha !

 

[Hojuman]

Poms praying for rain tomorrow l think.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

So bloody close but they could be saved by rain.

I still think we should go back to 6 day tests.