A stable batting order is the way to go

Hit the nail on the head there mate.

Granted Harry. Not disputing your observations. Some of his dismissals have been amateurish. But two points you're forgetting. He is only 23 and he has a first class average of 42, which some on the present Australian team cant reach and several great hopes like S. Marsh, Quiney, Doolan, Christian etc cant get even close to. If his batting is so erratic and he can maintain a 42 average at 23, doesnt it say something very positive about this kid. The others seemingly dont have those flaws yet cant get within cooee of this kids averages. What that suggests is that while those other batsmen arent going to get much better (perhaps Doolan will) Smith's development could see a world class batsman in the making, just very raw at this stage, Maxwell is a little similar with the bat, raw but very talented.

What he has done is been dismissed by what you would call 3rd grade suburban style dismissals. Some dreadful dismissals and attempted shots in his test career so far. More frequent than others. Doesn't appear to value his wicket on that basis, or can't control the urges within.

Well Finny, that's just an opinion. lets discuss this again in a year or two and see who is closer to reality.

I take your point into consideration, however for me they're just not that good. The only thing you have in your advantage atm, is our media and the expectation on our players, it's expected to be a blood bath this summer (for you). When there's huge expectation on any England/British team it usually never goes to plan.

Finny as I said in the above comment, we all expect immediate gratification. These 'kids are early to mid 20s. Its the youngest side we've had in probably 30 years, maybe further. You cant compare Ponting of today or at his peak with these 'kids' and say one is great and the others are not as good. We dont know how good these kids will be in a couple of years with international experience and added confidence. I pointed out in another section that Pontings and Haydens averages were comparable to some of these players at the same age. Hayden did have an excellent FC average, but he floundered in the tests. Some of these players may well become great players, maybe even greater than the ones that preceded them. Its too early to tell. But I wouldnt be judging them too quickly. They just might get to England and surprise everyone and give England a spanking. Very unlikely, but I believe a number of the batsmen and bowlers have significant potential not yet realised.

I'm English mate. I tend to read some of the Aus press online, just to keep an eye on the cricket over here.My observation is that the attitude to the Australian cricket team hasn't moved on from the 90's when you were the best side in the world by a mile. But since then all of the 'greats' have retired and the players who've replace them aren't anywhere near as good as they were. But despite this there's still the expectation that they should be as good and win most of their matches just because of the calibre of players previously produced. Currently you only have 1 world class player (Clarke). Many of the players you mention haven't been tested at international level and are averaging a lot less than Ponting in the Sheffield shield this year yet he wasn't good enough for international cricket any more.

Finny. I think we are too much in the immediate gratification age. We want it all now. But its quite rare for a young batsman or even bowler to have the consistency of an older player. Ponting, Hussey, Clarke, Hayden, Waugh, Border etc were not great players and stars when they started out. They had to develop over years of experience and facing the best bowling attack the cricket world has to offer. We only remember their great years. We forget that several had stuttering starts and their heads were called for more than once. I think we expect too much of our young sports stars. We want it all now. In my opinion, a number of the players, batsmen, bowlers, wicket keepers all, who are coming through will be top ranking test players in a couple of years. They are going through teething issues at present and learning what it is to face experienced and talented players from other sides. Personally I enjoy the development , perhaps because I've been around long enough to have seen the same thing in previous players who later became stars. The same frustration I felt over Waugh and Hayden, when they started out, I now feel over Hughes and Khawaja....and there's little difference except maybe that Hayden had a FC average already in the 50s before he became a test batting star.. But I think Hughes and Khawaja arent far from that...as well as Warner, Burns, Smith, Maxwell etc. All talented batsmen just needing time.

Mate he knicks off every time outside off stump (See the ashes and the the ODI series over here). He's a test match number 8. You've surely got better bats than him?

I think Finny, Smith has had some really bad press like Khawaja. The stats say he is much better than what many people are suggesting and at 23, h's a big potential for the future. I agree that in normal circumstances I would be keeping him in cotton wool and just letting him develop in the Shield. But our supplies at present are dry so he needs to be considered. He'll probably fail more than he succeeds as do most young batsmen starting out. But he could potentially win you a match. Given there's no one else seriously knocking at the door, I'd pick him. And I think in a few years you will be pleased he's in the side.

Inverarity said the same thing before the first test. meant nothing then. Means nothing now.

nudge, You are using too much common sense submitting a post such as this....stop it already. Just blame Arthur, Inverarity and Clarke and you will get plenty "+1s" and "well said" comments.....throw in some sort of comment relating to Khawaja and you may even have some flowers sent to you.

I believe that when Khawaja took over from Ponting in the Ashes and hit the first ball for a 4, is when they started hating on him. No way could this well educated, smart kid from the subcontinent could pull the first ball for a 4 when all the other Aussies were struggling.

Well said. I am ashamed to see the treatment of Khawaja by CA. And Australian legends are silent on this. The only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. Khawaja has a great temperament. Any guy who is a qualified pilot is pretty much required to have a good temperament. I do not believe the version of Clarke and Arthur. I also believe that Arthur is a tool in the hands of Clarke, who really is the one with a problem with Khawaja. I dont know who Clarke's handlers are but wouldnt be surprised if it went deeper. Also wonder, why India denied him visa to play in India initially.

Exactly, some on here are not capable to do the 2+2=4 math.

Spot on Nudge. I think Arthur will turn out to be a great coach for us. Like you said, took South Africa to No. 1. Even the great Australian sides didn't win series in India. When Warne played there he was the best spinner ever, his figures were shocking, so if he couldn't do it how can any of our current players when none of our spinners even come close to him? We haven't won a series there in a long time, the Poms until last year hadn't won a series there in 28 or 29 years. Out of this team, who had ever had experience playing a test in India? Clarke, Watson, maybe Johnson? Some have played IPL but those pitches are not test pitches. When the planning for this series started, it would have been built around 4, 5 and 6 - Ponting, Clarke and Hussey. Then two of them decided to retire. Where is the experience When those two and Clarke were there, the team ran itself, now Clarke has himself as the only one that had played in one of the great sides with all of that experience. You have to wonder how many of this current team would have the work ethic that the players in the really good Aussie teams had? In saying that, we need to give these guys a chance and stop slagging them off. Experience and improvement only come with time. We have the makings of a very good team, particularly our pace bowlers.

You have Steve Smith at 6?... If Steve Smith bats in the top 6 you won't stand a chance.

April