TOPIC:

The big question for me is whether Smith should captain in all forms of the game? A brilliant batsman at test level and an astute captain in the longer form but has been found wanting in this series so far. If it's good enough for the Poms to have different captains and be successful in the 50 over version then maybe that's something Aus should look at as well. Is Smith in Australia's best 6 batsmen at smash and bash level?

Yep u beat me to it BC....Is Smith a ODI player anymore? Great batsman we all know in the longer format, but has Aust dependence on Smith in test arena to grind out one big innings after another has culled his ability to change the gears for the shorter formats....seemed to find the fielders with ease and lacked any power to go over the top esp v Root and Ali.....hope the guy can prove me wrong, but seriously beginning to think his selection in the shorter formats is hindering Aust ability to improve.....surely Smith must be picked on merit not simply because he is Aust test Captain and Aust best test batsman....horses for courses one would think surely?

Come you two stop playing silly buggers, one cannot question the man's capacity as a batsman. Don't forget his side is lugging around the following in its middle order:

White
Stonis
\Marsh

Hardly world class

As for Smith's captaincy, I agree you could do a whole thread ont his limitations, but I would rather have him then any of the options.

Some observations on todays game.
1. A much more competitive performance by the Australians but like the first two games, England won the moments that mattered.
2. Australia were in front on the over by over comparison until the 49th over, yet still lost comfortably thanks to Buttlers brilliant hitting.
3. Australia lack a death bowler with enough variations to stifle the scoring at the end. Wood and Woakes are very good at this and didnt give Stonis much to hit in the late innings. Faulkner was the last decent finisher in the 50 over game and he seems to have been banished.
4. Smith was not out, shocking decision by the third umpire. The fact that he replayed it about 30 times should have indicated that there was enough doubt to give the benefit to the batsman, whatever the "soft" signal of the umpire.
5. Cameron White is no value in the ODI setup. I think everyone but the selectors realised that. They missed a great opportunity to blood an in form young player like Darcy Short in the team.
6.Smith obviously has no confidence in Mitch Marsh's bowling. He bowled tidily and took a wicket but was taken off after only 3 overs, while everyone else went around the park.

The good thing about this series is that it is 18 months to the World Cup so now we know what standard we have to get to to try to get to in order to defend the trophy. England are the number one ODI team and they still have Stokes to come back in which is extremely scary.

Warner needs a rest seems in rapid decline. Smith more limited in one day cricket but still in our best 11. Lyon needs to play and Maxwell should be first picked. Head, White, Tye, Richardson and Zampa are state cricketers only. And watching Paine and his balsa wood bat last night It's clear a keeper with more power is necessary.

mikeh wrote: Some observations on todays game.
1. A much more competitive performance by the Australians but like the first two games, England won the moments that mattered.
2. Australia were in front on the over by over comparison until the 49th over, yet still lost comfortably thanks to Buttlers brilliant hitting.
3. Australia lack a death bowler with enough variations to stifle the scoring at the end. Wood and Woakes are very good at this and didnt give Stonis much to hit in the late innings. Faulkner was the last decent finisher in the 50 over game and he seems to have been banished.
4. Smith was not out, shocking decision by the third umpire. The fact that he replayed it about 30 times should have indicated that there was enough doubt to give the benefit to the batsman, whatever the "soft" signal of the umpire.
5. Cameron White is no value in the ODI setup. I think everyone but the selectors realised that. They missed a great opportunity to blood an in form young player like Darcy Short in the team.
6.Smith obviously has no confidence in Mitch Marsh's bowling. He bowled tidily and took a wicket but was taken off after only 3 overs, while everyone else went around the park.

The good thing about this series is that it is 18 months to the World Cup so now we know what standard we have to get to to try to get to in order to defend the trophy. England are the number one ODI team and they still have Stokes to come back in which is extremely scary.

Agree about the Smith decision, even the Pomms were resigned to a not out after seeing the replays!! Aust lost by 16 runs, If smith has stayed around in partnership with Marsh it may have been a different story. But the game was lost by the bowlers inability to keep the last three overs to around 9-10 an over which would have been acceptable.

There is 18 months to the World cup and the selectors need to settle on a squad that they think gives us the best chance of defending it although as we have seen England will be very hard to beat. Once they have settled on the 14 or 15 players they need to back them in and not chop and change the team like they have in this series ( they have been experimenting a bit I think). Once there is some continuity in the group then player performances will improve as they won't be looking over their shoulder all the time. I think that all the guys who are in the current squad ( other than White and Paine) should be in this ongoing group. Carey should be installed as the ODI keeper as soon as possible. Others who should be considered include Maxwell, Turner, Agar, Stanlake, Lynn and Maddinson.

Well mikeh, Carey is in the T20 squad so hopefully a step away from being Aust sole ODI keeper.... surprised Maxwell is in the T20 squad and not Turner tho.....

Smith is rested for the T20 series it seems....LOL....Aust need to pick players who can clear the boundary on a regular basis.... Smith isn't renowned for his six hitting is he.....anyway good to see Short selected....

Ark not doubting Smith's batsmanship, just don't think a batsman who can't find the boundary regularly or score at a run a ball should be playing ODI one would think....but hey happy to eat humble pie.

Smith's too worried about getting and ruining his average.
I think he has started to believe all the hype written about him.
Bradman comparisons etc.

they need to pick five batsmen and an all-rounder-- the batsmen should include usman k.

As I have said before, we have pretend all-rounders in this country; if they pick Maxwell, they never bowl h him, they are following a similar pattern with Mitch Marsh.