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Where to bowl to Steve Smith?

Where to bowl to Smitteh?

  • Straight

    Votes: 5 27.8%
  • Wide

    Votes: 12 66.7%
  • Straight early, wide once set (the cop-out option)

    Votes: 1 5.6%

  • Total voters
    18

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
i've said i once i'll say it again, 3, 4, 5 and 6 will all face the same bowler with the same aged ball at the same stamina level at the same level of the innings with the same batting partner in the same situation, (hang on let me catch my breath) very, very often. I know this from years of playing from every position in my team
 

marc71178

Eyes not spreadsheets
i've said i once i'll say it again, 3, 4, 5 and 6 will all face the same bowler with the same aged ball at the same stamina level at the same level of the innings with the same batting partner in the same situation, (hang on let me catch my breath) very, very often. I know this from years of playing from every position in my team
Oh yes, a number 6 often comes in in the first over of an innings like a number 3 doesn't he?

And a number 3 often has to bat with tailenders.

Each position is a completely different position and involves difference skills to play, hence different players being more successful at one place than another.
 

91Jmay

International Coach
Even if the difference is purely psychological (which it isn't) then that difference still exists in the minds of the people who matter, the players.
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Oh yes, a number 6 often comes in in the first over of an innings like a number 3 doesn't he?

And a number 3 often has to bat with tailenders.

Each position is a completely different position and involves difference skills to play, hence different players being more successful at one place than another.
ehh it pretty much happened first innings of the last test. I'll concede it wasn't literally the first over but come on lets not nitpick
 

91Jmay

International Coach
ehh it pretty much happened first innings of the last test. I'll concede it wasn't literally the first over but come on lets not nitpick
Yeah, last test was totally normal occurence with it being the shortest first innings ever and all.
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Whatever. My point was 6 has to sometime see off the new ball against fresh paceman, just like 3 sometimes has to. Collapses happen.

And 3 bats with the tail plenty of times. He also comes in the second session sometimes. There's only a 50% chance 6 even bats with 7 right?


Regardless, I will give there is a bit of speciality required for 3 and 6, namely 3 is often a team's best specialist batsman and 6 usually the worst.

"Finishing the innings", "batting with the tail" all may as well be code for "this guy doesn't really deserve to bat 3-5" I'm sure exceptions exist. But generally the law of maths says they'll have less time to face balls and score runs.

.
Now 4 and 5, far out. Those are basically the same position IMO. Someone argue with me on that one if you dare

3 and 4, and 5 and 6 as well are interchangable IMO, when you really think about it. You guys focusing on 3 and 6 aren't giving me much credit to my theory
 
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mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
oh lol we're gonna play that card. Since I've came to this site I've had a bunch of people assume I hate the English and NZ, when actually I love watching every single country play. I feel no attachment to Australia so take shots at that country all you like

here's a post where I explain myself a bit better than I did here IMO. I'm debating someone who said 4-5 are similar(but was reluctant to admit it) but was adamant 3 and 4 are nothing alike as are 5 and 6.



if i had a penny for every time a number 4 came out to bat like an over or two after the first wicket fell i'd be a rich man. i feel i can easily say 3-4 and 5-6 are more interchangeable than 4-5

sometimes the openers put together a decent partnership and number 3 may as well be 4-6, he comes out with a license to attack. sometimes 2 fall in the first hour of an innings so 4 may as well be 3, they both have to now steady the ship. i dont think exactly 1 wicket falling in the first hour of an innings is some kind of statistical outlier here, i imagine these 3 scenarios happen around as often as each other.

i know this goes against long standing cricket theory but ive been a fan and a player since i was old enough to hold a bat and have always found specialist positions a little silly. im not saying its lucky underwear levels of superstition but i think a lot of it is mental and can be affected by form. obviously opening the batting is different.






WAKE UP SHEEPLE
 
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hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
I kinda agree with Mr_mister that it's not important as it's often made out to be, but I do think you want your most technically competent batsmen at 3, who is usually also your best batsman.

And by technically competent I mean ability to play the ball late and under the eyes, whether that's by looking like Chanderpaul or Dravid, doesn't matter.
 

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