Graeme Smith 5000 Test Runs!

[MouseMagic]

Smith became the 2nd youngest player to reach 5000 test runs
Do you think he can reach the 11000 run mark?
I think No beacause before reaching 11000 runs it will be time for him to say good bye to the international cricket!

What do you ppl say?

 

[PhoenixFire]

He probably could do, but I don't think he will.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Time's on his side, I suppose. I think a lot will depend on him keeping the captaincy. If he loses that his replacement might not feel comfortbale having so strong a personality in the dressing room still.

That said there's no real obvious candidate to take over that I can see just now.

 

[cover drive man]

Well Lara played 131 tests and managed 11953. Smith has had 62 tests with an average of 46.80. Let's say he plays 131 tests 2 innings a test. 46.8 X 262 = 12262. His debut was March 8, 2002 v Australia so he's been playing for 23186 days thats around about 75 days between tests. Of course I shouldn't be comparing Smith to Lara but time and statistics are on his side. Question is Can he keep it up?

 

[masterblaster]

He's prone to having really ordinary patches and then really excellent patches. Don't think he'll get there myself as when he's out of form he's really woeful, unlike a Tendulkar, Ponting or Dravid in that when they are out of form they still somehow manage to score the odd century here or there. I don't think he'll get there myself, but you never know. Otherwise he's a good batsman when on song.

 

[Goughy]

Certainly has time, but if he loses the captaincy he will be out of the team quickly. Too many political issues to make a long term call on a career this early.

 

[Langeveldt]

Certainly has time, but if he loses the captaincy he will be out of the team quickly. Too many political issues to make a long term call on a career this early.

You think he will? What because of his relationship with Cricket SA, or because of our politics in general?

 

[Goughy]

You think he will? What because of his relationship with Cricket SA, or because of our politics in general?

My feeling on the matter is that if he loses the captaincy he will be out of the team is based on a number of factors. There are the general cricket and local politics that are too deep to go into and 2 general issues.

a) If he loses the captaincy , a heavy part could be that he isnt scoring runs. If thats the case then they dump him.

b) If he loses the captaincy then a less experienced player will take over and there would be a good chance that they would be 'non-white'. Cricket SA would not want a stong and controversial ex-captain as a personality in the team for a new and potentially vulnerable captain. Leaving aside the race issue, this was seen as a reason for a long time why McKenzie was left out. Since he was dropped he grew as a domestic figure and captain and would have made Smiths position difficult. Smith appears to be in a strong position at the moment, but Cricket SA would be very careful who would be in a new captains squad.

 

[Langeveldt]

I reckon they should give Steyn the gig, and let him bowl at both ends

 

[andruid]

I recckon a cambination of all those little niggling injuries he seems to be carrying all the time will stop him.

 

[Richard]

Hope so but as pointed-out by Sangrah and Kev, plenty of uncertainties remain where his case is concerned.

Wonder what his run-tally is excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh too?

 

[Perm]

A fair bit smaller.

 

[Protean]

Hope so but as pointed-out by Sangrah and Kev, plenty of uncertainties remain where his case is concerned.

Wonder what his run-tally is excluding Zimbabwe and Bangladesh too?

This question annoyed me, so i checked. 4413. He has only played two matches against Zim, and he has more runs against England than Zim and Bangladesh combined.

 

[Richard]

Unfortunately, though, most of the runs he's scored against England came in those first 3 innings. Been massively disappointing since, though he's not been "worked-out" the way so many England fans would like to believe.

I didn't, incidentally, think Bangladesh and Zimbabwe would make that much of a difference, but it's 700-odd runs all the same.

 

[Protean]

Unfortunately, though, most of the runs he's scored against England came in those first 3 innings. Been massively disappointing since, though he's not been "worked-out" the way so many England fans would like to believe.

True, hopefully he will make up for that later this year. Find myself being defensive of him because so many people hate him, poor guy

 

[Richard]

I certainly don't, BTW (in case you've not been here long enough to notice ), Smith's been one of my favourite batsmen since 2003.

Yes, some of the oldest members left here will tell you tales of my inflated expectations of him when I first appeared on the CW scene.

 

[Protean]

I certainly don't, BTW (in case you've not been here long enough to notice ), Smith's been one of my favourite batsmen since 2003.

Yes, some of the oldest members left here will tell you tales of my inflated expectations of him when I first appeared on the CW scene.

Good to know.

 

[Super Fan # 1]

There is definately a fair chance he will get to 10000+ dunno about 11000
Lets be honest he has not got the best technique & can be very vulnerable to a quality bowler who gets the ball to move across him, but when Smith is in form he is as prolific as any batsman on the planet...

 

[Richard]

Lets be honest he has not got the best technique & can be very vulnerable to a quality bowler who gets the ball to move across him

His most notable weakness has been the ball moving back into him. His recent problems with getting caught on the off have been far more related to lack of discipline (something which was the secret of his phenomenal early success) than technical deficiency.

 

[Super Fan # 1]

I strongly disagree... Smith is 1 of the best/strongest batsmen in world cricket when it comes 2 playing off his legs, the problem comes in when a bowler can get the ball 2 consistantly move across him... He then tries 2 overcome the problem with his strength (legside play) & in doing so creeps over 2 the offside trying 2 force the ball legside... This results in 3 problems arrising...
1- He is vulnerable 2 LBW as he moves across the stumps 2 take the ball from off 2 leg
2- He plays on2 his stumps due 2 the angle of the bat as his taking the ball from off 2 leg
3- He gets a nick behind & gets caught by the keeper or slips coz he closes the face
What do you think about that?