The Ashes

[RiOtChEsS]

We gotta bat well yet, bloody due too...

[Nails]

I want a pizza Marcz. Delivery to Victoria mate?

[RiOtChEsS]

Haha sure no probs, should be there some time tomorro ;D

[Nige]

We gotta bat well yet, bloody due too...

I'm not trying to antagonise anyone... But this is true. The Aussie batsmen can't leave it all to the Haddin and the tail again. Honestly, I don't think it's fair that they have to bail out the team every time.

The batsmen are going to have to be in ripper form anyway, Ando's coming off a MOTM performance and Bres in the team for this game! He'll do for England what Ryno Harris did for Australia.  ;)

[RiOtChEsS]

We gotta bat well yet, bloody due too...

I'm not trying to antagonise anyone... But this is true. The Aussie batsmen can't leave it all to the Haddin and the tail again. Honestly, I don't think it's fair that they have to bail out the team every time.

The batsmen are going to have to be in ripper form anyway, Ando's coming off a MOTM performance and Bres in the team for this game! He'll do for England what Ryno Harris did for Australia.  ;)

They definitely need to fire, our bottom five have more than likely outscored our top 6 ??? (stat anyone?)

[PowerBug]

Smithy! So have all you Smith haters changed your mind now? He might have just swung the game Australias way. He's definitely levelled the day off. :)

[Hawka]

Smithy! So have all you Smith haters changed your mind now? He might have just swung the game Australias way. He's definitely levelled the day off. :)

Ive always loved smith :)

[Nige]

So have all you Smith haters changed your mind now?

Not really, no. :P

[its me lads]

Wow Steve Smith well done mate. I'm still not sure what he is there for though. He's obviously not a dedicated bowler but is he in there for his batting or as an allrounder? He didn't bowl a single ball at Trent Bridge

[PowerBug]

Everyone treats him so unfairly though. He has 4 test fifties in 8 tests, so that's a 50 every 2nd test and every 4th innings. Averages 32.66 with the bat at number 6, i'd take that for sure.

As for his bowling, i suppose he's just taking over the overs Clarke used to bowl under Ponting, or that Graeme Smith bowled, or Kevin Pietersen did a few years ago. That sort of "we have some overs to use may as well give him a bowl to see if he can do something." I certainly wouldn't have him as the number one spinner in the side though. More than handy player, who'll play many tests in his career. :)

[BB67th]

Yes I think Smith has really improved his technique over the last couple of years and looks a lot better player. Not the exact same type of batsman, but could do a similar role to what Andrew Symonds did, with some lower order heavy hitting and part time spin.

[Bill Manspeaker]

absolutely shattered i missed Smiddy's wickets. fell asleep :(

[henry]

Everyone treats him so unfairly though. He has 4 test fifties in 8 tests, so that's a 50 every 2nd test and every 4th innings. Averages 32.66 with the bat at number 6, i'd take that for sure.

As for his bowling, i suppose he's just taking over the overs Clarke used to bowl under Ponting, or that Graeme Smith bowled, or Kevin Pietersen did a few years ago. That sort of "we have some overs to use may as well give him a bowl to see if he can do something." I certainly wouldn't have him as the number one spinner in the side though. More than handy player, who'll play many tests in his career. :)

Lol what? You'd take a guy who averages under 33 as a number 6? I certainly wouldn't. Any good team will have batsmen 1-6 averaging over 40, most of them well over 40 and into the 50s, look at the great Australian teams of the past decade. I think we will see his average rise, and he clearly has improved since he last played for Australia and I've changed my perception of him a little. You seem to think his stats are excellent when in fact they are very ordinary, he has yet to cement his place in the side. I hope to see more improvement from him.

On another matter, what the hell is Stuart Broad doing sending in a night watchman for himself when he bats at 9? Makes no sense at all, has a fairly high opinion of himself obviously. Will love to see the aussies give him some chin music. Wrap the tail up and keep them to under 350, and that's a good effort I reckon. We need our bats to fire, watson and rogers looked steady and put on 80 odd last innings, hopefully they can better that.

[BratPack]

So have all you Smith haters changed your mind now?

He's still showerty

[its me lads]

Yeah 33 for a number 6 isn't ideal. The stats on the TV classify him as a batsmen and people have been saying that he's in there as a batter. He has to bowl. If he is in there as a batsman only then that essentially means he is the best middle order batter we have in Australia, which is not the case...hopefully  ;D. He is nowhere near good enough to only be a batter he needs to roll the arm over and snag a few wickets for him to be worthwhile in the team. He is improving and I'm happy for him to stay in the team but he needs to bowl.

On another matter, what the hell is Stuart Broad doing sending in a night watchman for himself when he bats at 9? Makes no sense at all, has a fairly high opinion of himself obviously.

What a knob, shower bloke