Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

[laj]

Can't believe the crap I am watching. I sat under the Prindiville Stand and was the Aussies really smack them senseless on the first day. What the hell has happened to be in this position.

[LP]

Can't believe the crap I am watching. I sat under the Prindiville Stand and was the Aussies really smack them senseless on the first day. What the hell has happened to be in this position.

Smith is not a test captain, he has absolutely no idea about how to use a field to apply pressure to a batsmen. It's like he is setting ever field to play for a draw!

Further, as much as I like Starc when he is on, he is a front runner which in my view makes him a a great support bowler but not a leader of an attack. Good bowlers are good bowlers in all conditions, only Lyon and Siddle come close to being test standard. We are sadly lacking with the likes of Pattinson and Cummins out injured, we have a team full of support bowlers operating to scores built by erratic batsmen.

[flyboy77]

Smith is not a test captain, he has absolutely no idea about how to use a field to apply pressure to a batsmen. It's like he is setting ever field to play for a draw!d up

Further, as much as I like Starc when he is on, he is a front runner which in my view makes him a a great support bowler but not a leader of an attack. Good bowlers are good bowlers in all conditions, only Lyon and Siddle come close to being test standard. We are sadly lacking with the likes of Pattinson and Cummins out injured, we have a team full of support bowlers operating to scores built by erratic batsmen.

Smith was installed simply to continue the NSW dynasty.....that said, who else has really stood up? And i was not a fan of Clarke!

[LP]

Smith was installed simply to continue the NSW dynasty.....that said, who else has really stood up? And i was not a fan of Clarke!

When we start selecting players on form we will be able to carry a bloke who is a great captain but not necessarily a great cricketer. Bailey is a prime example, his captaincy is probably worth a century relative to Smith's.

But longer term there is a real problem, as our shield teams are full of blokes who make their reputation in 20/20.

Those of us old enough will know how big of a rabble Australia was until Simpson returned as captain and what a huge difference he made to the team's performance!

[laj]

Smith is not a test captain, he has absolutely no idea about how to use a field to apply pressure to a batsmen. It's like he is setting ever field to play for a draw!

Further, as much as I like Starc when he is on, he is a front runner which in my view makes him a a great support bowler but not a leader of an attack. Good bowlers are good bowlers in all conditions, only Lyon and Siddle come close to being test standard. We are sadly lacking with the likes of Pattinson and Cummins out injured, we have a team full of support bowlers operating to scores built by erratic batsmen.

Starc did bowl brilliantly in Sri Lanka. Led the attack on unfavourable spinning pitches. Was an absolute gun and leader there. Look forward to Cummins finally getting fit. Once he's fit Siddle will be gone. I'd have played Bird ahead of Siddle.

As for the captaincy jury is still out on Smith. I did notice in Sri Lanka though, albeit in the one day series, how Australia completely turned things around once Warner took over the captaincy.

[bratblue]

Further, as much as I like Starc when he is on, he is a front runner which in my view makes him a a great support bowler but not a leader of an attack. Good bowlers are good bowlers in all conditions, only Lyon and Siddle come close to being test standard. We are sadly lacking with the likes of Pattinson and Cummins out injured, we have a team full of support bowlers operating to scores built by erratic batsmen.

Starc lost it when he went the short ball at the start of the SA second innings. He looked like he was pissed off with the batsmen and decided to do what he liked.

[laj]

Smith was installed simply to continue the NSW dynasty.....that said, who else has really stood up? And i was not a fan of Clarke!

Actually thought Clarke was an outstanding captain, one of the best 3 I've seen in my lifetime, Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor and Michael Clarke (I was around for Richie Benaud when he was captain but too young). 3 blokes with the rare ability to think ahead of the game. Clarke was given a a side that was pile of crap when installed and took them to no.1. Was most impressed when Warner took over the one day side in Sri Lanka. Looked like we really lifted a cog.

[laj]

Starc lost it when he went the short ball at the start of the SA second innings. He looked like he was pissed off with the batsmen and decided to do what he liked.

Same error Steyn made in our first innings with the new ball. It was a new ball pitch at the time, which become easier as the ball got older.

[laj]

When we start selecting players on form we will be able to carry a bloke who is a great captain but not necessarily a great cricketer. Bailey is a prime example, his captaincy is probably worth a century relative to Smith's.

But longer term there is a real problem, as our shield teams are full of blokes who make their reputation in 20/20.

Those of us old enough will know how big of a rabble Australia was until Simpson returned as captain and what a huge difference he made to the team's performance!

Simpson returned as captain when the World Series Cricket spilt started.

[Bear]

Bit harsh on Starc... had a significant injury and little preparation for this test.