sadly the death of his friend while playing cricket has taken the fight out of him, the best batsman of all time
thanks for the memories clarkey
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You must be joking? Lots of humble pie to be eaten from all the Captain Cook and England knockers.
There’s still a 5th test as well at the Oval.
At least Clarke scored enough yesterday to move ahead of that UUCOAM Hayden as 4th highest Aussie run maker.
A great vindication for those of us who predicted from a long way out that England would regain the urn.
There wasn’t too many of us. Was it just the two of us and Bandage that tipped England to regain the urn?
Leg-spin great Shane Warne was scathing of the manner of Smith’s departure on day two at Trent Bridge, steering a wide half-volley to point.
“It’s not good enough. You just let that through to the keeper,” Warne said in his Sky Sports commentary. “I cannot believe a guy would play that shot - and you’re ranked the No.1 batsman in the world.”
As thread starter, I’m giving you the go ahead Rocko. Thanks pal
I see they’re really putting the boot into Michael Clarke in a big way back in Australia.
They are horrible bastards.
England win the toss and will bowl.
England are unchanged. Would have liked to have seen them give Adil Rashid a go ahead of the upcoming series against Pakistan.
Peter Siddle belatedly recalled at the expense of the injured Josh Hazelwood and Mitchell Marsh in for his brother Shaun.
Very surprised at Siddle’s inclusion, should have gone with Cummins as Siddle is yesterdays man.
Cummins unlikely to be every today or tomorrow’s man due to his never ending litany of injuries.
England have been sluggish enough so far today 135/1 after putting Australia into bat. Australia have a decent enough chance of posting a big score here.
With the Ashes lost, the pressure is off and surprise, surprise Steven Smith is in the runs again unbeaten on 78 at stumps on Day 1. He’s on 443 runs for the series at the moment, joint second with Joe Root and only behind Chris Rogers on 480.
Cricket stats are only useful to a point. They don’t tell you when the hard runs were made or the key wickets taken. When the Ashes were in the balance and there to be won or lost at Edgbaston and Trent Bridge, Australia’s new captain posted scores of 7, 8, 6 & 5.
Yeah, I chuckled at that. He’s the striker who bags a couple of late goals when the side’s already 4-0 up. A real little gimp.
Didn’t he do the same in 2013? Scored a century at the Oval when the series was lost?
Yeah, just had a look at it there on Wisden. Less than stellar performances in the three tests Australia lost in losing the series 3-0 in 2013.
First test at Trent Bridge 53 & 17.
Second test at Lords 2 & 1
In the Durham test when Australia were 147/1 chasing 299 to win, he played a full part in the collapse to 224 all out. Knocks of 17 & 2…
In the fifth and final test at the Oval with Australia 3-0 down he made 138 not out.
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Australia 424/7. Steven Smith 129 n.o. Currently he’s the highest run scorer in this Ashes series!
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Smithy 
Lyon took two, both bowled. Mitch Johnson took only one, but that is deceptive. Mid-innings, he laid such siege to Joe Root that the batsman of the series managed just two runs in an hour, then fell to Marsh and an edge detectable only by RTS and whales. In the inverse of what is promised to Islamist terrorists, the maidens came first, then the reward.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/the-ashes/no-ashes-but-australia-make-england-eat-dust-20150821-gj57n3.html#ixzz3jXHE1Loq
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