England in South Africa

[CoverKing]

As i pressed 'submit' swann gets Amla, with an inside edge caught at bat pad by Cook

Amla gone for 95.

1st innings century maker too the crease now in Kallis

2/261

[rod_rooster]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

[CoverKing]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

Well said!

Doesnt he lead by example. Captain since the age of 22 (appointed when 21 IIRC but first test when 22) and has just got this side playing for him.

He has played so well this innings. One of my favourite players to watch. He is unorthodox in his stance but jeeze he looks good. What an innings this has been. Didnt he just show what a part timer Trott is

Also, RR did you see much of the ball tampering issues with Broad and the umpires?? Stepping on the ball with the spikes, covering the ball and pretending to shine the shiny side, with the rough side and the bottom hand not in view? And then continually throwing the ball into the pitch aswell, for the hope it will reverse swing. Will they bring out the lollies again??

[rod_rooster]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

Well said!

Doesnt he lead by example. Captain since the age of 22 (appointed when 21 IIRC but first test when 22) and has just got this side playing for him.

He has played so well this innings. One of my favourite players to watch. He is unorthodox in his stance but jeeze he looks good. What an innings this has been. Didnt he just show what a part timer Trott is

Also, RR did you see much of the ball tampering issues with Broad and the umpires?? Stepping on the ball with the spikes, covering the ball and pretending to shine the shiny side, with the rough side and the bottom hand not in view? And then continually throwing the ball into the pitch aswell, for the hope it will reverse swing. Will they bring out the lollies again??

I missed the Broad stuff but i'm not surprised to hear about it.

On Smith, how right did the Saffies get it by appointing him captain at 22. At the time it was a huge risk but it has paid off massively. The best captain in world cricket at the moment IMHO and has been since Fleming retired.

[CoverKing]

They made a gutsy move, but a damn good one! After only 9 Tests aswell IIRC. One of the best things to happen to South African cricket. He has resurrected South Africa cricket nearly by himself with his attitude, confidence and will to succeed.

As i write this, he just brought up his 150. Thats another thing i like about him, once he is in, he likes to smash sides. They just said, he has got 5 tons against the poms, 2 are 150+ and 2 are 200+. Thats unbelievable.

I could not see Australia doing something so gutsy as the South Africans did with Smith. They had Pollock who was still dominating world cricket when he took over, they overlooked Kallis and Boucher and Kirsten (i think) and gave it to a 9test 22 year old.

[rod_rooster]

I could not see Australia doing something so gutsy as the South Africans did with Smith. They had Pollock who was still dominating world cricket when he took over, they overlooked Kallis and Boucher and Kirsten (i think) and gave it to a 9test 22 year old.

Australia would not to that. No way known. There was obviously something very special about Smith they saw to make such a call but the Australian selectos would have not even entertained the idea no matter what.

[CoverKing]

I could not see Australia doing something so gutsy as the South Africans did with Smith. They had Pollock who was still dominating world cricket when he took over, they overlooked Kallis and Boucher and Kirsten (i think) and gave it to a 9test 22 year old.

Australia would not to that. No way known. There was obviously something very special about Smith they saw to make such a call but the Australian selectos would have not even entertained the idea no matter what.

I would love to see it though. Smiths first class record when selected was pretty good. He was not gifted a game. But its amazing just how correct they got that decision!!

Call Hughes into the captaincy??

What a cover drive by Smith by Onions. Got the deep point, but he had no choice!

[CoverKing]

South Africa 2/300

Smith 158*
Kallis 12*

[rod_rooster]

Hughes as captain? Would never happen even though it would be a better option than Clarke.

If i was going to take a punt on a youngster like the Saffies did with Smith I'd be getting Khawaja in the side sooner rather than later.

[CoverKing]

It was the only young fella i could think of that had some Test experience. I was not at all calling for him to be Captain!

IF THIS WAS TO HAPPEN - AND A MASSIVE IF:

Who would it be? Maybe a young Mitch Marsh in three years. Leadership qualities (captaining the U/19 World Cup side). Bloke can play! Plus iv backed in him to captain Australia in the future already

[rod_rooster]

It was the only young fella i could think of that had some Test experience. I was not at all calling for him to be Captain!

IF THIS WAS TO HAPPEN - AND A MASSIVE IF:

Who would it be? Maybe a young Mitch Marsh in three years. Leadership qualities (captaining the U/19 World Cup side). Bloke can play! Plus iv backed in him to captain Australia in the future already

As i mentioned Khawaja would be my choice. Perhaps Mitch Marsh but at 17? there is still a lot of work for him to do.

[brod]

South Africa v England
3rd Test
Newlands

DAY THREE - STUMPS

South Africa 291
England 273
South Africa 2/312
GC Smith 162*
HM Amla 95
GP Swann 2/104

South Africa are scroing at close to 4 RPO in the second innings
Kallis, with another good score could finifsh the match with a batting average of 55! Not bad for a bloke who has taken 258 test wickets

[NFC]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

He's a bit overrated. Good, not great. Special knock last night though, won the series.

[RoosterMarty]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

He's a bit overrated. Good, not great. Special knock last night though, won the series.

Hughes is a future superstar but Smith is just a good player?

I don't really like Smith much but he is a fantastic player, hopefully they bury the poms from here. I wonder if Broad will get in strife for cheating or not.

[NFC]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

He's a bit overrated. Good, not great. Special knock last night though, won the series.

Hughes is a future superstar but Smith is just a good player?

I don't really like Smith much but he is a fantastic player, hopefully they bury the poms from here. I wonder if Broad will get in strife for cheating or not.

Gee, I could've sworn Hughes was an Aussie, set a record for youngest player to score twin tons, and yet seems about 10% of people like him.

Anyway, he's 20. I guess people expect players to be scoring a century in every test at the age of 20.

Smith is inconsistent. Before this match his average was under 50. Tad overrated, that's all I'm saying.

[locky801]

Oh

[locky801]

whoops

[NFC]

Wrong game mate.

[RoosterMarty]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

He's a bit overrated. Good, not great. Special knock last night though, won the series.

Hughes is a future superstar but Smith is just a good player?

I don't really like Smith much but he is a fantastic player, hopefully they bury the poms from here. I wonder if Broad will get in strife for cheating or not.

Gee, I could've sworn Hughes was an Aussie, set a record for youngest player to score twin tons, and yet seems about 10% of people like him.

Anyway, he's 20. I guess people expect players to be scoring a century in every test at the age of 20.

Smith is inconsistent. Before this match his average was under 50. Tad overrated, that's all I'm saying.

Don't get me wrong mate, I am a big fan of Hughes and want him to succeed, just making an observation.

Anything to boost your post count eh locky?

[rod_rooster]

How good is Smith. What a great player to watch. He is playing such a wonderful innings. A truly great Test cricketer who could never ever ever be accused of being anything but the ultimate team player.

He's a bit overrated. Good, not great. Special knock last night though, won the series.

Hughes is a future superstar but Smith is just a good player?

I don't really like Smith much but he is a fantastic player, hopefully they bury the poms from here. I wonder if Broad will get in strife for cheating or not.

Gee, I could've sworn Hughes was an Aussie, set a record for youngest player to score twin tons, and yet seems about 10% of people like him.

Anyway, he's 20. I guess people expect players to be scoring a century in every test at the age of 20.

Smith is inconsistent. Before this match his average was under 50. Tad overrated, that's all I'm saying.

Smith has averaged 50 over his career opening the batting and captaining the side. I'd say he's a great player. Plenty of "great" players didn't average 50 in Test cricket. Not over rated at all.