Steve Smith as Captain

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I hated that. No way should he talk like he did before he even spoke to Starc.

Why?

As soon as Smith said that it was over. No more media scrutiny, no more speculating what was happening behind closed doors, or what should happen. Dealt with, with a minimum of fuss.

 

[Bomber Bears]

His handling of Starc was fine and it was something that deserved to be called out.

 

[Super Hans]

Why?

As soon as Smith said that it was over. No more media scrutiny, no more speculating what was happening behind closed doors, or what should happen. Dealt with, with a minimum of fuss.

I just think no matter what the issue, big or small, you deal with it internally before speaking to the media.

 

[frankrizzo]

Im sure starc knows the way the game works though, put out the media fires first then deal with the actual player, do it the other way around with the skipper dead batting the questions and you probably leave more of a mess for the young bowler to deal with as he has the media going right to him for their clickbait headline.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I just think no matter what the issue, big or small, you deal with it internally before speaking to the media.

Yep, can certainly understand that point of view.

 

[The_Reaper]

I don't believe that at some point he didn't tell Starc to his face that he thought that was stupid before telling the media.

Because giving overthrows because you're mad is stupid.

 

[PaddyO]

Australia will become known as the biggest bunch of flat track bullies while he is captain. He has no substance, and he has no business being Australian captain. Australian cricket is not in a good place if this is the best we have got.

Why will his captaincy determine whether or not we're "flat track bullies"?

 

[Costanza_]

What a weird scenario, if you had have said a few years ago that Smith would be our Test captain and best bat and Mitchell Starc our spearhead, I would have accused you of being quite stoned.

Smith's rise shocked us all. Didn't think he had it in him.

Starc always had the makings of a great bowler. Obviously not quite there yet but a guy who is;

• Still 25yo
• Swinging it at 150km/h
• The worlds ODI MVP (ABDV aside perhaps)
• Starting to get it together with the red ball

He has superstar written all over him.

I think he's doing alright. One thing I'll give him is he seems to have a grip on when to use the review system and when not to.

Yep, been very hesitant with the DRS which is a good thing. Seems to judge each appeal on its merits and not on the importance to the game (i.e. not blowing hail mary reviews on top batsmasn "just in case").

Personally, I'd like him not to display his disappointment with team mates when they make an error because that leaves him nowhere to go when he drops one himself.

Needs to work on this. Not a good look and something that he will almost certainly improve.

 

[the_interloper]

Smith's rise shocked us all. Didn't think he had it in him.

Starc always had the makings of a great bowler. Obviously not quite there yet but a guy who is;

• Still 25yo
• Swinging it at 150km/h
• The worlds ODI MVP (ABDV aside perhaps)
• Starting to get it together with the red ball

He has superstar written all over him.

Probably the key right there and the part that I missed, I thought we had another Nathan Bracken on our hands.

 

[krisholio14]

Needs to work on this. Not a good look and something that he will almost certainly improve.

I don't mind it myself. It certainly worked for Allan Border.

 

[Hellgood]

Anyone who thinks Warner or Williamson are flat track bullies are either trolling, flat-out mouthbreathers or both.

 

[peternorth]

give him time

 

[the_interloper]

Anyone who thinks Warner or Williamson are flat track bullies are either trolling, flat-out mouthbreathers or both.

Pretty sure Warner proved he's not long ago when he carried his bat against the Kiwis in Tassie.

 

[Belnakor]

• The worlds ODI MVP (ABDV aside perhaps)

ABDV is an absolute superstar but i will always take the best bowler over the best batsman. Stark basically won us the world cup.

 

[drummond2fevola]

Pretty sure Warner proved he's not long ago when he carried his bat against the Kiwis in Tassie.

That was his first ton.

 

[Demosthenes]

Pretty sure Warner proved he's not long ago when he carried his bat against the Kiwis in Tassie.

That was one innings, 4 or 5 years ago. What's he done since?

 

[the_interloper]

That was his first ton.

Thanks Bondy.

That was one innings, 4 or 5 years ago. What's he done since?

Um, a fair bit. Would you agree he's clearly our second best batsman at the moment?

 

[to1994]

That was one innings, 4 or 5 years ago. What's he done since?

A ton in the UAE when everyone else besides Smith failed is further proof of him performing in different conditions.

 

[Demosthenes]

UAE was the deadest of dead tracks. He's our second batsman at the moment, but that doesn't mean he's not a flat track bully.

Look, I was as impressed as anyone by that ton in Hobart - but it remains the only time he's ever shown that kind of grit and application. After 4 or 5 years, it's time to stop hanging our hat on that innings.

 

[Super Hans]

UAE was a dead track which everyone else failed on..

Spin friendly pitches aren't 'dead pitches'.

 

[Demosthenes]

Make what excuses you like, a good opener doesn't go to pieces on a lively pitch. Warner craps his pants as soon as the ball starts to seam or swing.

He will always be a second rate Hayden, and Hayden was a second rate opener.

 

[PaddyO]

Make what excuses you like, a good opener doesn't go to pieces on a lively pitch. Warner craps his pants as soon as the ball starts to seam or swing.

He will always be a second rate Hayden, and Hayden was a second rate opener.

What a load of unsubstantiated bullshit.

 

[frankrizzo]

Didn't warner make 180 on a greenish WACA vs india a few years ago when pretty much everybody else failed?

I think he scored half our runs for the match in that one innings.

 

[bluespooner]

What a load of unsubstantiated bullshit.

It wasn't it was spot on.

It is a situation that is made worse by having a batsman like Smith coming in at number 3. He shouldn't bat before 5, he has a horrible technique.

 

[Mateyman]

It wasn't it was spot on.

It is a situation that is made worse by having a batsman like Smith coming in at number 3. He shouldn't bat before 5, he has a horrible technique.