*Official* Australia Tour of West Indies 2021 (WhiteBall)

[Apex Predator]

This the same Smith that made 2 consecutive 60 ball 100s last season? Yeah think he'll be fine

Lol what he did in T20s tho.. I remember his slowish knock once prevented Aussies from a big total in one game.
Those two hundreds were by far most aggressive I have seen Smith bat although SCG track was great as well.
Then in IPl he looked completely out of place & it surprised many fans why was he batting ahead of Hetmeyer & probably was on the verge of getting dropped too. Ricky was backing him coz DC were churning up wins.. Even as Talented as Billings was sitting out.

 

[Apex Predator]

In fact in his last Two T20I series vs Eng & India Smith has been very average. Both T20s Aus lost to India Smith played a major role in it. Failing to kick on in the First T20 & then again in 2nd T20 where every Aussie batter was smokin it on a SCG belter.. Smith struggled leaving Aussies short of a winning total. Played a woeful knock in 3rd game as well but thanks to other batters Aussies managed avoid clean sweep.

 

[Beamer]

We've just named an absolutely obscene training squad for this seasons T20's against South Africa, Pakistan and Australia. Ridiculous batting power really. Bowling is not quite so strong, more of a work in progress. Kind of the opposite of Australia. So good to see us naming full strength T20 sides nowadays.

Openers = Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Andre Fletcher (wk)
Middle Order = Nicholas Pooran (wk), Shimron Hetmeyer, Kieron Pollard,
All rounders = Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Jason Holder
Spinners = Hayden Walsh Jr, Kevin Sinclair, Akeal Hossein
Pacers = Sheldon Cottrell, Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas, Fidel Edwards

 

[Burgey]

T20 WC is in October/ November. On reflection, am hoping Smith fails in this series vs WI and isn't picked. Let him concentrate on the Ashes.

 

[honestbharani]

Think my county theory for guys like

Does it change the fact that he hit 2 T20 pace 100's back to back? Format means jack **** unless it's Hong Kong super Sixers in regards to this.

Dude, if u saw those innings you will know it was not T20 pace.. You dont get 30 balls to play yourself in and then explode in the next 30 in T20s, especially if your opening partners play out 5 to 6 overs. And you dont get to face so much of certain bowles either. Of course the format matters. Its like expecting Sehwag to score 300 in ODIs coz he did that in ODI pace in a test.

 

[Burgey]

Wait, Fidel Edwards is still around?!

 

[Prince EWS]

Wait, Fidel Edwards is still around?!

He's arguably been at his peak the last couple of years, weirdly enough. Still bowls absolute heat.

 

[TheJediBrah]

If Smith in T20s was really a problem then you'd have Australian supporters whinging about the selection. The fact that that isn't happening should tell you all you need to know. Personally very happy for him to be at 3.

 

[Nintendo]

Dude, if u saw those innings you will know it was not T20 pace.. You dont get 30 balls to play yourself in and then explode in the next 30 in T20s, especially if your opening partners play out 5 to 6 overs. And you dont get to face so much of certain bowles either. Of course the format matters. Its like expecting Sehwag to score 300 in ODIs coz he did that in ODI pace in a test.

Smith was 42 off 30 and 38 off 30 before he exploded in both odi's, which is exactly how Rizwan, babar, Kane, Kohli, Conway and Malan more often than not pace themselves before exploding.

Can't be bothered digging up the exact numbers but Smith went made 60+ from 30 balls both times from there with India regularly rotating bowlers. Try again.

 

[Apex Predator]

Strong squad by Windies. On Paper they look superior to Australia with bowling perhaps weak link. Good to see Oshane Thomas back

 

[honestbharani]

Smith was 42 off 30 and 38 off 30 before he exploded in both odi's, which is exactly how Rizwan, babar, Kane, Kohli, Conway and Malan more often than not pace themselves before exploding.

Can't be bothered digging up the exact numbers but Smith went made 60+ from 30 balls both times from there with India regularly rotating bowlers. Try again.

And I am saying being 42 or 38 off 30 in the conditions you expect in the WT20 will be match losing innings already, and has like a 10% chance of being made up by whatever he does after that. And his IPL numbers are extremely relevant given that is where the WT20 is likely to be paid, either UAE or India.

And it is silly to use numbers from another format when the discussion is about him not being so good in T20Is and we had 3 games of that format in that very series where he was rather ordinary.

 

[Apex Predator]

And I am saying being 42 or 38 off 30 in the conditions you expect in the WT20 will be match losing innings already, and has like a 10% chance of being made up by whatever he does after that. And his IPL numbers are extremely relevant given that is where the WT20 is likely to be paid, either UAE or India.

And it is silly to use numbers from another format when the discussion is about him not being so good in T20Is and we had 3 games of that format in that very series where he was rather ordinary.

Exactly there is no time to settle in T20I these days. Smith is a average T20 bat should not even be a debate. He sucks in IPl & that's what matters coz WC is supposed to happen in Subcontinent.
Australian approach towards T20 is seriously questionable when they can field a much better side.

 

[Daemon]

Smith isn’t a bad player in T20s and should be batting 3, but you can’t extrapolate his ODI innings to T20s like that. Cricket doesn’t work that way, as much as you’d like to imagine T20s are a joke format.

He was really quite bad in the recent IPL in conditions that will probably similar to the WT20. He’s never been an excellent T20 player as well. I think that’s slightly more relevant than the two 60 ball hundreds.

 

[honestbharani]

If Smith in T20s was really a problem then you'd have Australian supporters whinging about the selection. The fact that that isn't happening should tell you all you need to know. Personally very happy for him to be at 3.

Smith is your best bet to bat at 3. Does not mean it is a good thing though. Unless Smith turns into a different batsman that will remain the case. I never had issue with Venkatesh Prasad being our second seamer anywhere in the 90s, does not make him a great or even international quality all the time.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Strong squad by Windies. On Paper they look superior to Australia with bowling perhaps weak link. Good to see Oshane Thomas back

that isn't the Australia squad they have a whole series against SA to fall out before that

 

[Apex Predator]

that isn't the Australia squad they have a whole series against SA to fall out before that

I thought that this provisional squad was for whole of 15 T20Is they are supposed to play. So playing XI will be picked pretty much out of this in every game.

 

[Starfighter]

He's arguably been at his peak the last couple of years, weirdly enough. Still bowls absolute heat.

By 'absolute heat' you mean mid 130s? That's what he was clocking against SL. Didn't think he bowled that well either, but WI's specialist T20 pace options are thin on the ground, though the surfeit of allrounders helps offset that.

 

[TheJediBrah]

He was really quite bad in the recent IPL in conditions that will probably similar to the WT20. He’s never been an excellent T20 player as well. I think that’s slightly more relevant than the two 60 ball hundreds.

2nd person now to mention the IPL in an actual cricket discussion. Me just sitting here trying not to piss myself laughing.

He's averaging 40 in T20Is in his last 3 years. He doesn't have to strike at 180 with his role in the team. Unless you're giving me Kohli or de Villiers to replace him then I'm not complaining.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I thought that this provisional squad was for whole of 15 T20Is they are supposed to play. So playing XI will be picked pretty much out of this in every game.

yeah true i guess

 

[derekdougan]

Will England fans be allowed to travel to Ashes?