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Sintiger said:
Not sure what anyone would be apologising for, I haven't seen anyone predict Smith's demise but I have seen plenty say he is not the player he was.
He isn't and to pretend otherwise is just putting our heads in the sand.
He made 314 runs across the 5 tests of the summer in 10 innings with 3 not outs. Compared to previous years he has had a vulnerability that he hasn't had before, although we have seen in creeping in over time imo.
He is still a good test batter, great in some circumstances as we saw yesterday, but he is very far from the Steve Smith of old.
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There were posts saying he will be a failure as an opener and it was poor selection right through to calling for him to be dropped.

When the going gets tough against quality fast bowling and there is a test to win, he then goes and carries his bat. While other batsmen who are supposed to in their prime fail (again).

The constant talk and death riding on here on his decline and picking apart his dismissals compared to near zero talk on Labuschagne and Heads performances (averaged 28 and 25 for the summer) is bewildering.

Note from start of 2022 or 2023 he outperforms the above two as well - It's not a one summer thing.

He might not as good as he was. But he's still our best batsman. Especially in tough situations - which quite a few have disagreed with.
 
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Leysy Days said:
There were posts saying he will be a failure as an opener and it was poor selection right through to calling for him to be dropped.

When the going gets tough against quality fast bowling and there is a test to win, he then goes and carries his bat. While other batsmen who are supposed to in their prime fail (again).

The constant talk and death riding on here on his decline and picking apart his dismissals compared to near zero talk on Labuschagne and Heads performances (averaged 28 and 25 for the summer) is bewildering.

Note from start of 2022 or 2023 he outperforms the above two as well - It's not a one summer thing.

He might not as good as he was. But he's still our best batsman. Especially in tough situations - which quite a few have disagreed with.
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Head has been terribly inconsistent as a test batter this summer, hero to zero and back again and Labuschagne is in a form funk, has been very very ordinary.
Neither of those things change the facts on Smith. Either he or Khawaja is our best test batter now which is a indictment on the future because one is 37 and the other is not the player he once was.
 
The solace I take from Head getting a king pair is that is exactly what I would have scored if I’d played this test. So in effect I’m as good as Travis Head.
 
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Legends of 2017 said:
Difference between the two though was smith only did it to just hazlewood rather than a number of tailenders and did try to make the runs
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Did it with Gawwy as well, just fudging singles around early in the overs.
Got way to many flaky rapid fire hitters in the team, very few who actually take the time to get in n get comfortable before going the tonk at anything. And an extremely out of form Labushyknee.
 
MD Jazz said:
Was great seeing a fast bowler targetting the stumps at high speed though. Top of off he said. A bit to take from that.
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Bloody amazing what can happen when you actually bowl in the region of the stumps and force the batsman to waggle his bat at every incoming ball. Ozzies for some weird reason seem to think that you always win matches bowling lots of really short n wide stuff.
 
MD Jazz said:
He did get a couple of rippers this test! Yeh he's not a technician but is a matchwinner. Smith shouldn't have put Hazlewood on strike against Joseph for 2 balls. I don't think he really wanted to face him.
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The trouble is if Smith was to try and get a single off the the last ball of the over the bowlers would just bowl a bouncer.
 
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My man Josh Inglis was a joy to behold, 65 off 43 balls, including 10 four's and a six, Bartlett did very well on debut taking 4 wickets.
 
Outside the World Cup, which proved to still be a fantastic event, ODIs have been more for TV than crowds for years now.

*Where are the crowds? Cricket's dying!*

Dude. They're pulling 40,000 to domestic games. Might not be our preferred format but cricket ain't dying, it's changing.

Still good crowds for the tests even against two supposedly low-drawing teams. Biggest Gabba crowds for a Windies test ever.
 
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The Vic's are playing Sa in a shield game, after 14 overs Sa are 2/3 o_O

My man Fergus O'Neil, 7 overs ,6 maidens, I for 1.
 
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