Steven Smith is a mediocre test match bowler

[Mr. Wicket]

Hughes is awful. Cant play short ball and would get exposed by poms in ashes.

At this point, if you can't play the short ball, England in England is the only attack that'll work you out. He's made runs in RSA, and pretty much every other attack in the world lacks the fast bowling firepower to challenge a batsman's short ball issues. He certainly won't throw away his wicket after early starts as often as Watson, and on the increasingly flat pitches in Australia and the subcontinent (where Aus will be playing a lot of their future cricket), he'll do just fine. Better than "20 and out trying to force the pace" Watson, who really shouldn't open the batting in addition to his bowling load.

[99.94]

Is North that good thoough for tests? I feel neither his bowling or batting is quite up to the mark! Although no doubt he will have is days with the bat as in last ashes. But somehow he does not smack of real class which we are used to with you guys To be honest been dissapointed with newcomers in to aussie team apart from your seamers. I really thought you would have one or two quality bats ready to go but does not seem the case.

4 hundreds and 2 nineties in 20 odd innings isgood enough for me. Not to mention that all his big knocks have come overseas in often bowler friendly countries like New Zealand and England. He can handle pressure fine, despite what some people may claim. Scoring a hundred on debut, scoring a hundred on Ashes debut, scoring a hundred when Australia were under pressure against New Zealand. His bowling is only part time but is good enough to take wickets when required. He is just the easy target for the media because he doesn’t have blonde hair, a piercing or a hot WAG - it's good to see that Ponting has stood by him. He is a little like Damien Martyn for mine – all his big scores came in overseas matches that the average Australian cricket fan doesn’t pay much attention to so he seems to come under criticism more frequently than other okayers. Yeah there are a few who are There or thereabouts but I don’t think they’ll be world beaters (at least not yet). Cowan, Hughes, Klinger, Khawaja and plenty of capable wicketkeeper batsmen – Hartley and Wade. I also didn’t mind the look of a young legspinner Cameron Boyce who took 6 wickets in the Shield Final (only his second game). He's only twenty though so it's far too early make a call right now.

[King Tendulkar]

^ Good info

[Bradman99]

So North who topped the averages against New Zealand gets punted after two bad tests? Glad you're not one of our selectors.

Marcus North= 31 Steve Smith= 21 I think that Smith is going to become Australia's next big thing, he is a star in the making. North for all the good he did in his first few series in the team has really dropped off and I think that when Hauritz comes back into the side (as he will), that North is the player who should be dropped for Smith. There is not a lot to seperate them at the moment, but as I said North is 31 and Smith 21, so the sooner we throw Smith in the sooner he will consolidate his spot in the team and I think that would benefit us hugely. You mentioned North topped the averages against NZ, yeah? Well considering he got his career off to a blistering start and topped the averages against NZ, then why is his average only 37? I think he is very inconsistent, only scores either big or low (and its the latter more often than not)

[Bradman99]

Bradman loves pumping up the tyres of the NSWelschmen and has it in for North (as do most Aussies for some reason).

I have got nothing in for North, I think his a good option, just that Smith offers more for us going forward. Btw which state do you herald from?

[thevortex]

Bradman99 - are you convinced about Steven Smith as a leg spinner first of all? I dont get this next big star thing. Unless you have seen a lot of him in domestic cricket which gives you something more to assess on.

[Bradman99]

Bradman99 - are you convinced about Steven Smith as a leg spinner first of all? I dont get this next big star thing. Unless you have seen a lot of him in domestic cricket which gives you something more to assess on.

Not convinced of his bowling abilities yet although if Warne sees something in him, then there is hope in that regard. I think he is an extremely talented batsman. I may prove to be wrong, but I have a very good feeling about this guy.

[Lord]

Not convinced of his bowling abilities yet although if Warne sees something in him' date=' then there is hope in that regard. I think he is an extremely talented batsman. I may prove to be wrong, but I have a very good feeling about this guy.[/quote'] i'm with u on that.he looks a very good batsman with an attacking streak. however,i'm not too sure about his bowling.i was surprised Warne was talking so highly of him,to me hes just a part timer,although accurate one.he doesnt turn the ball enuf to cause trouyble to top batsmen yet

[thevortex]

I am not too sure if Warne is to be trusted in this matter. I am not so sure if he is making a hue and a cry just to keep us excited. He made big sounds about a leg spinner he picked for his IPL team. That guy was hopeless.

[King Tendulkar]

Warne talks rubbish sometimes and is very bias. I remeber the over hyping he did on Masceranous who frankly was ordinary. Or maybe he just does not have the heart to condemn Smith and say what he really thinks. But all the other comms were going bannas over him as if he was the new sobers His bowling is simply not good enough

[Bradman99]

Yeah I don't really see much in his bowling either at this stage.

[99.94]

Marcus North= 31 Steve Smith= 21 I think that Smith is going to become Australia's next big thing, he is a star in the making. North for all the good he did in his first few series in the team has really dropped off and I think that when Hauritz comes back into the side (as he will), that North is the player who should be dropped for Smith. There is not a lot to seperate them at the moment, but as I said North is 31 and Smith 21, so the sooner we throw Smith in the sooner he will consolidate his spot in the team and I think that would benefit us hugely. You mentioned North topped the averages against NZ, yeah? Well considering he got his career off to a blistering start and topped the averages against NZ, then why is his average only 37? I think he is very inconsistent, only scores either big or low (and its the latter more often than not)

I have got nothing in for North' date=' I think his a good option, just that Smith offers more for us going forward. Btw which state do you herald from?[/quote'] Yeah but North still has several years in him - I'd sooner get rid of Hussey for Smith. History shows us most successful Australian players spend several years playing domestic cricket before they flourish internationally. For mine Smith's bowling is well below par and while his batting is decent I don't think his technique would cut it at international level on swinging/seaming conditions. Even if Smith was thrown in there, doesn't mean he'd succeed. Plenty of players are billed as 'a star in the making' but never make it. For me I haven't seen enough in either facet of his game to suggest he would do a better job than anyone in the current team. Sure, I acknowledge it's a problem but at least he's going on with his starts - not such a bad thing if you ask me. Born in Wollongong, live in Canberra. I guess I'm pretty neutral with selections considering there isn't much home talent.

[thevortex]

At this point, if you can't play the short ball, England in England is the only attack that'll work you out. He's made runs in RSA, and pretty much every other attack in the world lacks the fast bowling firepower to challenge a batsman's short ball issues. He certainly won't throw away his wicket after early starts as often as Watson, and on the increasingly flat pitches in Australia and the subcontinent (where Aus will be playing a lot of their future cricket), he'll do just fine. Better than "20 and out trying to force the pace" Watson, who really shouldn't open the batting in addition to his bowling load.

You forgot Pakistan. They perhaps have the most potent new ball attack going around right now.

[Chorazin Reto]

For my mind North is riding his previous successes, he has 1 more Test imo to get some runs, here is the Australian batting by average from 19th Jul 2009 to 27th Jul 2010. http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;orderby=batting_average;spanmax1=19+Jul+2010;spanmax2=27+Jul+2010;spanmin1=19+Jul+2009;spanmin2=19+Jul+2009;spanval1=span;spanval2=span;team=2;template=results;type=batting Both the Australian wicket keepers are lower on the list, but for specialist batsman he is the worst along with Ponting in the last year, now you're not going to remove the wicket keepers, or drop the captain who is averaging just under 40 in the last year, so that leaves the specialist batsman who is not performing(North). Having said that i would give him 1 more Test series to get some runs on the board against India in India. People have been saying Smith isnt much of an attacking spinner but Hauritz isnt either, so our options are very limited in that department.

[thevortex]

But Chorazin Reto - are you not worried that Indians will get on top of him as a spinner? And that that is his main suit in any case? Plus dont you think his style of batting is quite good against seamers but against spinners on turning tracks, he may struggle? Of course I have not seen him against spinners. So, any of you Aussies can comment on this.

[SJS50]

It is true that Smith is young but with leg spinners, the big spin is on display early if a bowler has it. What one picks up as one plays longer is greater control and greater variety. He does display good control and variety he may pick up but I doubt if he will suddenly become a great spinner of the leg break and that is the leg spinner's first weapon of choice. Without it you cant be an orthodox leg spinner of note. Then you have to fall along with the Kumbles, the Chandrashekhars and the O'Reillys with pacier bowling and great variety and lateral movement on the wrong one.

[Zelig]

Why play Steven Smith ahead of a genuine No.5? Anyway, Oz shouldn't be having much of a problem in the batting front. They got some good up and coming batsmen. Usman, Mitch Marsh, Finch, Kruger and George Bailey spring to mind. Even in bowling, they got players who they can invest in. Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Ben Cutting were all impressive in the lil I saw of them.

[ch1234]

Resembence with Raina This guy looks like Suresh Raina. Doesnt he?.

[Chorazin Reto]

When Hauritz is fit im sure he will be back in the squad to replace Smith, Smith is mainly a batsman, who can roll his arm over and bowl some leggies, he is not a specialist spinner, his strength lies in his batting ability and his youth, he has many years ahead of him to develop as a player. The fact that he can bowl leg spin is merely an advantage, like having Clarke or North in the order, although Clarke doesnt bowl much nowadays due to his ongoing back problems. For me both Johnson and North need to pick up their games in this coming tour of India, both have been lackluster over the last year. Looking at those averages i posted Katich(55.04) and Clarke(57.36) have been in awesome touch, with Watson just a shade under 50(very good for an all rounder at 47.14). Ponting's 39.81 is not good enough and he knows it, and North is last of the specialist batsman with 34.50. North and Johnson need to turn it around on the tour of India and say to the selectors, i can do this, i am the man for the job, North moreso than Johnson simply by virtue of the fact he is not as entrenched in his position.

[The Outsider]

What kind of a clown have Australia selected here? He can't bat, can't bowl. The way he twirls about his arms and wrists in his run up, one would think the second coming of Warne is here, only to be thrashed by all comers. Wouldn't have believed I would say the day when Australia start selecting bits and pieces crap in test matches. Is he a batsman? The guy was batted at number 7 here. Is he a bowler? He has bowled a grand total of 10 overs of absolute dross on a Sydney pitch. Australia are due to play in Sri Lanka and South Africa next. Lord help them and Steve Smith if this guy plays. One can only imagine the mental scars Sri Lanka's batting will leave on him.