[quote=“Special Olympiakos”]What a surprise to find Manual loving Graeme Smith???
Hes hated in his own country. The most arrogant man who thinks HE IS South African Cricket. The litany of his transgressions against the spirit of the game are so long I couldnt list them all.
He had the temerity to accuse the Australian fans of being racist a few years ago towards Andre Nel when it was shown it was his own fans abusing him, this of course not long after Smith himself racially abused Dwayne Bravo on the field !!!
I wonder does Evo realise while he was making that 259 at Lords he was calling Michael Vaughan a queer everytime he hit a boundary and ran past him. I don’t like England but Vaughan was a respected International captain and a married man, Smith later said he had the look of one !
Anyone remembering him charge at Nathan Bracken in the 2007 World Cup too?[/quote]
I’d be careful being so categorical with that Bravo one. I’m pretty sure he was cleared of all allegations there. Have to admit, I’d never heard any of the rest of this stuff. Willing to throw up any links to back them up? I remember the Aussie fans having a bit of back and forth with Nel. Thought it was mainly good natured though.
[quote=“Special Olympiakos”]Its in Vaughan’s book Fitzy. If it weren’t true I’m sure Smith would have brought legal action?
Sorry Braz- I don’t have any back up at all for these, just from memory. [i Know detective who could find out though!][/quote]
But, but, Graeme Smith is a colossus of the modern day game and one of the all time great captains. Graeme Smith is one of the most respected figures in world cricket, almost universally admired and indeed revered in some quarters.
[quote=“Fitzy”]But, but, Graeme Smith is a colossus of the modern day game and one of the all time great captains. Graeme Smith is one of the most respected figures in world cricket, almost universally admired and indeed revered in some quarters.
Say it ain’t so Special![/quote]
Leaving aside any controversy for a second, how would you judge Smith as a batsman and a captain Fitzy? He averages nearly 50 with the bat and has a tendency to do it when it matters. He must also be given some credit for the improvement of the SA team under his captaincy (though I accept there is a lot of talent at his disposal) and it always looks like a unified team, a good sign of a captain. Not quite a colossus yet I’d say, but well on course.
Fitzy getting very worked up about these alleged comments from Smithy. I thought in his view of the world such comments were acceptable. ‘sledging’ part and parcel of the game?
Fitzy is one of these cranks that has it in for everyone. If he’s not spewing general racist and xenophobic bile, he’s engaging in vicious personal attacks. Chris Gayle is a ‘fucking useless captain’. Graeme Smith is a ‘prick’. Back in the day when Michael Vaughan was England’s most successful test captain he was a ‘bad smell’.
Braz- No issues with me on Smith as a player, absolutely fabntastic and a very good captain to boot. My issue here is with Evo claiming hes a cross between the Dalai Lama and Winston Churchill !
When you make ridiculous claims like he has about Smith being revered and loved and a leader of men ffs- well then you can expect to be pulled up on it with evidence to the contrary.
If I were to make a wild assumption like Evo I would say because Smith rubbed Australians up the wrong way he can do no wrong in mr Zaleyas eyes.
[quote=“Manuel Zelaya”]Fitzy getting very worked up about these alleged comments from Smithy. I thought in his view of the world such comments were acceptable. ‘sledging’ part and parcel of the game?
Fitzy is one of these cranks that has it in for everyone. If he’s not spewing general racist and xenophobic bile, he’s engaging in vicious personal attacks. Chris Gayle is a ‘fucking useless captain’. Graeme Smith is a ‘prick’. Back in the day when Michael Vaughan was England’s most successful test captain he was a ‘bad smell’.[/quote]
I’m completely relaxed Evo, I was just worried about your reaction to your boyfried’s spat. I’m racist and xenophobic? Thats Evo, is truly hilarious coming from you. Happy crimbo.
Sad to see, an outstanding competitor. For such a small country, NZ produces some great gricketers, Vettori being the obvious one. But Bond was special, what he could have done if not racked by injury.
Looks like Ponting will be fit for the St Stephens day test, but Hauritz looks dodgy. I’m expecting this to be a great battle. A relatively untested Pakistani side, mercurial and full of talent, against an Australian side full of mediocrity (I just can’t let Brian Lara’s brilliant comment go)
Ah, it’s a terrible shame Bandage. He certainly had the talent to be the best fast bowler of his generation, but never really got the chance to prove it mainly due to injuries (and also the whole ICL saga). Good article on his stats from Cricinfo here.
[quote=“Fitzy”]Sad to see, an outstanding competitor. For such a small country, NZ produces some great gricketers, Vettori being the obvious one. But Bond was special, what he could have done if not racked by injury.
Looks like Ponting will be fit for the St Stephens day test, but Hauritz looks dodgy. I’m expecting this to be a great battle. A relatively untested Pakistani side, mercurial and full of talent, against an Australian side full of mediocrity (I just can’t let Brian Lara’s brilliant comment go)[/quote]
What’s this comment of Lara’s you’re droning on about? That they’ve turned into good cricketers? The evidence of the last year or so would suggest otherwise. Destroyed by India in the test series out there last year. The first Australian side to lose a home series in 16 years when they lost to South Africa this time last year and then losing the Ashes to a weak enough England team during the summer. Perform okay when pressure is off but have continually failed when the pressure is applied.
Australia lucky enough to get to lunch here at 73/0 in the Boxing Day test. Pakistan have bowled reasonably well but the work in the field has been sloppy.
[quote=“Manuel Zelaya”]What’s this comment of Lara’s you’re droning on about? That they’ve turned into good cricketers? The evidence of the last year or so would suggest otherwise. Destroyed by India in the test series out there last year. The first Australian side to lose a home series in 16 years when they lost to South Africa this time last year and then losing the Ashes to a weak enough England team during the summer. Perform okay when pressure is off but have continually failed when the pressure is applied.
Australia lucky enough to get to lunch here at 73/0 in the Boxing Day test. Pakistan have bowled reasonably well but the work in the field has been sloppy.[/quote]
Christ, you really are a fucking moron. The comment I refer to is Brian Lara saying that Australia is very good at taking mediocre talent and turning them into great cricketers, while the West Indies is good at taking great talent and turning them into mediocre crickcters. I’ve posted it before and I’m amazed you didn’t jump all over it. I’m agreeing with what you’re saying you idiot, they’re a very overrated team who were found out on the Ashes and look decidedly dodgy against brutal opposition in the Windies and Pakistan (I say brutal for Pakistan as their fielding would not be acceptable at my 6 year olds Milo Into Cricket sessions).
Watson and Katich clearly have absolutely no understanding of each other, as evidenced by Watson’s utterly stupid run out. His reaction was pretty fucking typical as well.
Hauritz is playing, so Steven Smith is not needed. The 20 year old future of Australian spin bowling. He’s played 9 first class matches. The more I find out about him the more worried I’d be. Listening to Geoff Lawson today, he piointed out that Smith is really a good batsman who bowls. He averages 75 in first class mataches. Why aren’t they trying more with Kreizja? Or Beau Cassin? Australia are in deep trouble, which is being hidden by terrivle opposition. But before anything is to improve, something has to happen with the selectors. Andrew Hilditch has to go. He hasn’t been able to justify Smith’s call up and very little else. I expect Australia to win this series against Pakistan, because from what I saw today, they’re crap and not really taking it all that seriously.
Still not too pushed about England and Wales’ decision to only go with four recognised bowlers and Strauss’ captaincy can be baffling enough at times too. Graham Onions bowled beautifully there today and thoroughly deserved the wicket before the end. It made Strauss’ decision to only use him for 2 overs in the afternoon session all the more baffling given how many times he went by the bat this morning.
Alastair Cook should have been shot if Smith had got back into his ground for the run out - the pussy didn’t want to hurt/dirty himself by diving to take the stumps off and there was only a few inches in it when he should have been out by yards.
All in all, a good comeback after tea by England and Wales after a great partnership by Smith and Kallis. It’s hard to know what a good score in Durban is though based on recent test matches held there.
Watched the first session from Melbourne. Pakistan’s opening bowlers performed really well and were badly let down by their fielders. Seems as though they still have a long way to go.
Caught the final two sessions from Durban. The decision to bowl Trott for three overs ahead of Onions before Tea was indeed strange, especially when it is widely known that the last session Durban is almost always curtailed by light. Onions looked good.
All in all, a good comeback after tea by England and Wales after a great partnership by Smith and Kallis. It’s hard to know what a good score in Durban is though based on recent test matches held there.[/QUOTE]
Boucher will be the big wicket to take in the morning.The difference between a good SA total and a mediocre one.
Fair enough!