Graeme Smith contemplating SA comeback

[smash84]

Haha what?

The 3rd post is literally "He shouldn't return"

That still doesn't address *****'s point though

Nobody ever said that he doesn't have a right to return

 

[cnerd123]

Yea smali just doesn't want him to return because he, as a fan, doesn't want to see Smith perform poorly and humiliate himself. Not because Smith has no right to rescind his retirement.

 

[Prince EWS]

Its his right, see no issue with it. It is the choice of selectors to determine whether they pick him or not.

Yeah I was going to make a post like this but I figured brokenrecord.jpg would've appeared if I did. If he wants to play then he should make himself available.

It's more interesting to discuss how we think it'll go though. I'd be stoked if he scored another international century but unfortunately I just don't see it, even if he makes himself available again. The reasons for his retirement from international cricket do seem flippant enough to suggest he could come back, but the reasons for his domestic retirement a year later don't.

It has now been decided that he will not be able to cope with the demands of a full English season and he will not return for the final year of his contract.

 

[Jono]

Is that mental demands or physical though? I reckon at 33 he felt more like he was 40 because he had captained for a long time from such a young age. A year off could do wonders.

 

[Prince EWS]

Is that mental demands or physical though? I reckon at 33 he felt more like he was 40 because he had captained for a long time from such a young age. A year off could do wonders.

Well the announcement came right after he had surgery on a broken kneecap, so I think it was probably a bit of both.

 

[_Ed_]

No doubt spurred on by his recent commentary stints I've heard, where he's spent most of the time talking about how much better he was than many of the current SA batsmen.

 

[OverratedSanity]

That still doesn't address *****'s point though

Nobody ever said that he doesn't have a right to return

Yea smali just doesn't want him to return because he, as a fan, doesn't want to see Smith perform poorly and humiliate himself. Not because Smith has no right to rescind his retirement.

But it's not as though Smith will just be drafted in to the test squad next month. Pretty sure the selectors will take their time, assess how he may do and then take a call. If he's still decent, the selectors will see it and bring him back.

At least that's how I hope they'll do it.

 

[Jono]

Well the announcement came right after he had surgery on a broken kneecap, so I think it was probably a bit of both.

ah okay, there ya go.

 

[cnerd123]

But it's not as though Smith will just be drafted in to the test squad next month. Pretty sure the selectors will take their time, assess how he may do and then take a call. If he's still decent, the selectors will see it and bring him back.

At least that's how I hope they'll do it.

Would still be humiliating if he comes back and sucks domestically. Remember how bad Lara was in the ICL?

The MCL is just for a laugh, it's fine. If he attempts to play cricket at a serious level and sucks at it, I can see how it would be pretty sad to watch as a fan.

I personally don't care either way tbh. Would be kinda cool if he actually has something to contribute, even if it's just mentoring his younger teammates at domestic level.

 

[Jono]

Humiliating? Nah. I remember some Cricinfo person wriiting an article about how Lara had to be careful about the ICL hurting his legacy. What a load of tosh that was.

Legacy is the most overrated thing. One because who cares what others thing so long as the player is happy, but secondly, and more importantly, almost always the last few sucky years are never remembered down the track. Ponting, Sachin, Viv, Gilly etc. are still all seen as ATGs and other than some folks who over-emphasise career stats, their last few mediocre years has not had any effect on how they are remembered.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Only needs 735 runs to join the 10,000 club. Good luck to him. I wonder how many forms he wants to play. It would be interesting to see how he responses to just being a player (rather than captain).

 

[cnerd123]

Humiliating? Nah. I remember some Cricinfo person wriiting an article about how Lara had to be careful about the ICL hurting his legacy. What a load of tosh that was.

Legacy is the most overrated thing. One because who cares what others thing so long as the player is happy, but secondly, and more importantly, almost always the last few sucky years are never remembered down the track. Ponting, Sachin, Viv, Gilly etc. are still all seen as ATGs and other than some folks who over-emphasise career stats, their last few mediocre years has not had any effect on how they are remembered.

It's still pretty bad as a fan seeing a former great looking like a shadow of themselves. Was horrible, for example, watching Ambi and Walsh bowling medium pace dobblers and being thumped all around in the All-Starts games. It was also bad seeing Lara get out to players who wouldn't have been fit to do his laces in his prime. This applies to all sports, not just cricket. There's something sad about it.

I agree that it shouldn't detract from his legacy tho. Figured that's a fairly obvious argument around these parts, and couldn't be ****ed to call up Smali on saying it because I'm pretty sure I've seen him agree to this concept in past threads, so put it down to bad choice of wording more than anything else.

I wouldn't get enjoyment from seeing Smith return to professional cricket and be terrible at it. So I hope that, if he does make a comeback, he is atleast decent at it.

 

[OverratedSanity]

It's still pretty bad as a fan seeing a former great looking like a shadow of themselves. Was horrible, for example, watching Ambi and Walsh bowling medium pace dobblers and being thumped all around in the All-Starts games. It was also bad seeing Lara get out to players who wouldn't have been fit to do his laces in his prime. This applies to all sports, not just cricket. There's something sad about it.
.

People who didn't enjoy seeing Ambrose Walsh Donald etc in the all Stars completely missed the point of it imo.

 

[cnerd123]

I know it was all for fun but part of me cringed every time they got effortlessly whacked over midwicket. But hey, thats just me.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

This shows another South African left-hander (admittedly a better one) still looking like a top-class player at the age of 50.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biqFa_Fs3uQ

I think that Smith will be okay.

 

[Red]

I know it was all for fun but part of me cringed every time they got effortlessly whacked over midwicket. But hey, thats just me.

Agree with you and OS both. As long as those kind of games are marketed as fun cricket and not serious cricket, there's no real drama I guess. But not much will ever compare to seeing Ambrose in his pomp back in the day.

 

[fredfertang]

You're a long time retired, so if he fancies another go good luck to him, and anyway he'd surely have improved their side against India

 

[artvandalay]

He's obviously taken this decision after both Zak and Mitch retired. :P

 

[Jono]

He's obviously taken this decision after both Zak and Mitch retired. :P

Hah that's good

 

[Spark]

He's obviously taken this decision after both Zak and Mitch retired. :P

I literally opened this thread just to make this joke damnit