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K wrote:All this talk about how to get Steve Smith out...
History fairly meaningless. The greatest players have all registered ducks in Test cricket....
Well, ducks were not the thing that caught my attention, Donny. It was all the left-arm orthodox dismissals. That surprised me, because I thought (and maybe still do) that the best way to get him (or any other specialist batsman) out is to get movement and a nick to slips (or LBW). When I saw the poor recent record against S. Africa, I assumed it would support my belief! (It sort of did, with Rabada et al.) As I said, the Oz camp said it was just to two particular SLA bowlers on pitches that were "turning square from day 1". I no longer believe that excuse.
If they keep getting slow and dry pitches, then Taylor's suggestion before the start of the first Test that England are scared of their feeble batting being bundled out gains more traction. Lyon won't mind.
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Of course, there's the risk of the other bat-once possibility: England bat for two days, when they are the only ones who can win.
Warne says he's surprised that both captains would have bowled first.
Nasser wants a short leg. He says it's gone out of fashion a bit. This is what they were saying last Test, when Athers said he would have been "thrilled" to walk out to bat and see no bat pad.
Why is Head there (I say)? It should be Bancroft. Someone else can go in Bancroft's spot in the slips. The Oz camp talk him up as the greatest short leg ever and then he's not there when there's a half chance.
Gower is telling anecdotes... I am struggling to focus on his anecdote (which then remains incomplete as the over ends). This must be the effect of watching too much slogathon short-form cricket.