A tribute to Steve Smith

[Batman_fan]

A tribute to Steve Smith: Cricket's great method actor with the ability to embrace both the orthodox and the unorthodox

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/ashes/steve-smith-australia-england-third-test-day-three-waca-jonathan-liew-a8114661.html

To become a great batsman, you need more than talent and hard work. You need a vision to which you can apply them as well as ambition and audacity

But never forget: first, you need the talent. And his knock in the first innings at Perth - his 22nd Test century - will stand as one of his very best. In favourable conditions, perhaps, and against a fading attack, but only because he made the conditions favour him and made the attack fade. In the space of three Tests, Smith has made both his fastest and his slowest Test hundreds, to the extent where his 141 not out in Brisbane and 229 not out here may as well have been made by different batsmen.

This was the counterpart to his innings at Brisbane, played on a slow pitch where timing the ball was difficult. Smith cut out the cover drive, left the ball extremely well, forced England to bowl into his favourite areas. Here in Perth, it was the opposite: the ball was coming on to the bat, the bounce was true, and so Smith drove freely, cut with impunity, stepped across to play his trademark drive through mid-wicket.

What linked both innings was adaptation. Each innings was the optimal response to the circumstances, the match situation and the attack. But Smith also adapts within innings, raising and lowering the tempo as required. His fifties came off - in order - 58, 80, 67 and 96 balls. He even adapts within overs. His perpetual motion at the crease may look like a quirky tic, but I wonder whether it’s a form of processing: staying loose, staying flexible, seeing what feels right. Like a batting computer, but instead of processing operations, he processes movements.

There was one shot on the second evening that demonstrated this. Craig Overton was the bowler, and the ball was short, but kept just a little low. Having set himself up for the pull, Smith contorted himself almost in an S-shape, dropping his knees and waist, swivelling low and almost paddling the ball through mid-wicket for four. It looked awkward. It wasn’t.

 

[Batman_fan]

I think he will cross the highest rating for Test batsman - Don Bradman's 961. 

He started his career as leg spinner who can bat. Now, he is the best test batsman in the world. What a transformation!

[Pipucbn]

Monna Smith >>>>> Kohli thread esa.

mana DB lo decide chesaru Kohli la inti panulu cheyaru anta Smith andhuke performance baguntundi ani

[Raithu_bida]

3 minutes ago, Batman_fan said:

I think he will cross the highest rating for Test batsman - Don Bradman's 961. 

He started his career as leg spinner who can bat. Now, he is the best test batsman in the world. What a transformation!

Are u kidding??

[sattipandu]

10 minutes ago, Batman_fan said:

I think he will cross the highest rating for Test batsman - Don Bradman's 961. 

He started his career as leg spinner who can bat. Now, he is the best test batsman in the world. What a transformation!

athishayokthi emo ... but currently the best in test cricket

[Batman_fan]

8 minutes ago, Raithu_bida said:

Are u kidding??

?

[Batman_fan]

10 minutes ago, Pipucbn said:

Monna Smith >>>>> Kohli thread esa.

mana DB lo decide chesaru Kohli la inti panulu cheyaru anta Smith andhuke performance baguntundi ani

okay

[Renault]

anni adda dhiddamina shots....o class undadhu paadu undadhu.......

[Kontekurradu]

May be he is scoring tons of runs as of now. 

But you can't teach new kids to follow his technique. 

maa cricket club dinner lo ide meeting jarigindi, who is great Root, Virat or Smith ani 

 

[mahesh1]

3 minutes ago, Kontekurradu said:

May be he is scoring tons of runs as of now. 

But you can't teach new kids to follow his technique. 

maa cricket club dinner lo ide meeting jarigindi, who is great Root, Virat or Smith ani 

 

root overrated

[Kontekurradu]

1 minute ago, mahesh1 said:

root overrated

oho atna 

#iliketadika

#ilikemfamily

[mahesh1]

22 minutes ago, Kontekurradu said:

oho atna 

#iliketadika

#ilikemfamily