Steven Smith - World's #1 Test Batsman

[Ashton Agar]

A bloke that not long ago was a whipping boy for lots of people (myself included), but boy oh boy has he turned it around. What a champ this is. With the rest of our batting order prone to collapse, Smitty is ever-reliable.



Get around him!

 

[Torz]

Handy number 7 who bowls leg spin and slogs it!

 

[Jak!x]

Never would've called it really, its simply remarkable how far his development has gone. Absolute superstar of the game, first person to hit over 2000 runs in 2 calendar years

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Seeing it like a beach ball at the moment, absolutely brilliant.

 

[Power Raid]

28 test and 9 tons to his name already

what a surprise package

 

[The_Reaper]

I remember during our warmup match after the 3rd or 4th test in the 2013 Ashes.

The Pommy chaps on the BBC radio were being a bit smug and were saying "well Smith. He's an okay batsman but he wouldn't bat in the top eight in a team like England"

Suck shit you Pommy bastards

 

[Van_Dyke]

I still remember some of my disappointment when he was selected for the India tour in 2013. Thought he had no future in test cricket as a batsman. Thank goodness I was wrong.

 

[Cupid Stunt]

Gives me hope for our batting depth...maybe the future won't be as bad as it seems if people follow Smith's lead.

Maybe there's a few more golden nuggets just needing a bit of a shine?

 

[Donnie Darko]

I remember during our warmup match after the 3rd or 4th test in the 2013 Ashes.

The Pommy chaps on the BBC radio were being a bit smug and were saying "well Smith. He's an okay batsman but he wouldn't bat in the top eight in a team like England"

Suck shit you Pommy bastards

At that point England were dominating and Smith had done nothing. It was prob a reasonable comment..
If indeed those comments were made.

Many posters in this forum trashed him and said he was just a t20 player.

 

[Super Hans]

Handy number 7 who bowls leg spin and slogs it!

Don't forget his fielding!

 

[Doodlesweaver]

I felt ill the first time I watched him bat in test cricket. All that wriggling around at the crease and never seemed to have his head over the ball when driving.

He's a different beast now. I was so wrong about him, it isn't funny.

 

[ricardogp]

I'm a pom and I have huge respect for Smith. Credit where credit is due, no bs. If there is one person you need to get out to beat Australia it's him.

 

[Wallaby]

I always said he was hopeless.

Shows how much I know.

Nah, seriously, I said we should play him as he obviously had bags of talent - I thought we had given him enough chances and was calling for him to be sent back to Shield cricket for a few seasons. I think that was about 3 minutes before he made his first test ton.

You have to play the talent. That's why Smith got a good go. That's why we are perservering with Cummins (despite less than stellar performances). That's why we played Warner (and brought him back quick after being dropped). Some players have that innate talent, and you have to give them a decent go for them to work out how to actually use it.

 

[philreich]

The man is averaging 131 for his last 12 Test innings. I'm not suggesting he's another Bradman (there'll never be another), but wow - they're some serious numbers. And he's still young: he'll be tormenting the world's bowlers for quite some time yet!!!

 

[Costanza_]

Other than the two West Indies matches, he hasn't even had soft series to pad his stats.

Since breaking back into the team in 2013 he's played India (A), England (A), England (H), South Africa (A), Pakistan (A), India (H).

With the possible exception of the home Indian series (who are poor in Aus conditions and not helped by very flat decks last year) that's about as hard as test cricket gets.

 

[HBF]

No.3 is his for as long as he wants it.
What an amazing player he has turned himself into.

 

[Ashton Agar]

With the possible exception of the home Indian series (who are poor in Aus conditions and not helped by very flat decks last year) that's about as hard as test cricket gets.

Well he scored 4 of his centuries in that series. But still, he clearly is quality despite this. Amazing player.