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He seems to be very much in the selectors minds. Lets not get into the NSW bias issue but is he being picked on potential or does his bowling have some genuine merit?
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Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool" -
Re: Steven Smith
Smith has taken all of 11 wickets (!) in his entire first class cricket, never more than 2 wickets in an innings. That's not even enough wickets to bowl out a side in a single test match in his ENTIRE first class career, so there is no 'genuine merit' whatsoever to speak of for the selectors to go on. Hilditch & co. are just trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat to salvage their shattered reputation (so they can be the guys who 'discovered' the next big thing).
While I don't doubt that Smith may go on and do good things later in his career, putting him in at this time would be suicidal for his long-term future as he will be slaughtered and so start compromising his technique to compensate. After a couple of bad innings, he will be turned on by the Australian public and be dropped (a la Hughes, Hauritz more than a few times, Krezja et al) and then we're back to square one anyway, but this time with his reputation, confidence and technique shot to hell.
Krezja may be expensive, but he's the most attacking spinner we have, and is a far better prospect to have 'develop' in the cauldron of Test cricket than a kid who has never even gotten district players out consistently, much less Test level batsmen. I shudder to think what the likes of Dhoni, Ghambir, Sangakarra, De Villiers or Sehwag would do to Smith's little tweakers. -
Re: Steven Smith
I dont think you can compare the two, to be honest. Beau had quite an established first class career when he made his test debut and had been around for a while. He hadnt set the world alight but he had built a solid career. He wouldve been at least 26 when he debuted and had played around the 40 first class games mark. Besides, he was only in the squad because the selectors wanted a steady spinner who wouldnt get smacked around if Macgill went down. And its not like he did terribly, he took 3 for in the second innings and played a role.
Smith is being pushed purely because he has a fair degree of potential and because he's a legspinner. But I do agree that picking him this early could do more harm then good.Comment
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Re: Steven Smith
Agree with a lot of the comments about Smith not being ready and how it can do more harm than good. I am definitely not a subscriber to the theory that playing at the highest level is automatically a good thing for development.
A quality leg spinner takes risks. Playing Smith who is so raw could really promote a survival mentality, which can really hurt a leggie.
If we are going to play a young spinner it should be Holland imo (sounds biased I know!). Holland already has a solid base with a tie up an end type default if things aren't going well. I think he is the type of player who would actually get confidence from playing at the highest level.
I think part of not playing Krejza is that if he does well, they don't want to be pressure into dropping Hauritz. I see them as clearly the best two options at the moment with Hauritz being the solid option and Krejza more of a wicket taker. Fwiw I rate Hauritz a lot higher now than I have in the past (coming from a very low base) and definitely see him as our 'best' option.Comment
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Re: Steven Smith
I'll rate Hauritz when he gets wickets on a 4th or 5th day. If he's getting all his wickets in the 1st innings we may as well have a seamer instead.[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Comment
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Re: Steven Smith
By rate him I mean:
- Higher than I used to, which was extremely low (as a test bowler)
- Relative to other spinners in Australia.
I definitely would look at playing a seamer. I really don't see the 4th bowler as having to be a spinner unless the deck really demanding it, as long at they offer variety.Comment
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Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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Re: Steven Smith
Yep. I did post about not having to play a spinner but as I said in the other thread, I think it's too much of a waste to play anything other than a spinner when Watson is in the side. Haddin and Johnson at 7 and 8 also mean batting ability isn't a major concern for the 4th bowler, which is Steve Smith's major strength over his rivals at the moment.Comment
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