A few months ago (say during the ashes test series), if you asked the question, who are the dumb crickets in the Aussie team (or in the world, for that matter), it is very likely that most would have included Steve Smith in that list. Then if you followed that up by asked the question, who would you consider to be dumber, then undoubtedly, most would have included Warner! – get my drift?!
One might argue that if Steve was on the list, so would everyone else on that ashes tour – Khawaja was not on the team then. Fair argument. It’s not that everyone knows that Steve is dumb, it’s more that we don’t know that he isn’t, we usually classify all Aussie cricketers dumb and he mostly appears to be an amicable, naive country bumpkin, to whom there was nothing more to life than smacking a cricket ball around the park.
It is disconcerting when Cricket Australia (CA) appoints as skipper, a player that hasn’t even been a certain selection in the team just a few months prior to his appointment.
This has happened before, but usually when there is some wise ole’ sage with years of cricket experience backed by a degree in nuclear physics from Cambridge! Appointed for their brilliance in strategy and leadership – a la Mike Brearley changing the course of a whole ashes series!
Smith was selected as a bowler and didn’t really get to bowl and then to the relief of CA scored a gazillion runs in the most whimsical manner (I used to think it was an embarrassment that Australia would have to resort to players with such atrocious batting techniques, in the test arena).
“Place-holder for Smith’s crazy shots video!!”
To their credit (I think?!#$%), CA backed this kid, just as they had done with other “untouchables” like Hughes – untouchable only because they would be given all the easy opportunities to cement their places whilst their competition would be given the real tough conditions to fail – thereby justifying CA’s decisions – Khawaja being one of the victims – it’s great to see him flourish now that he has finally been given the opportunity to play on conditions that he is accustomed to – an opportunity to succeed.
The timing has been great for Steve, The schedule appears to provide him a lengthy honey-moon period with the initial test series being against Bangladesh, NZ and the West Indies. NZ could have been a competitive affair if they had played on more reasonable pitches with some time acclimatise to them – rather than the Blacktown paddy-field debacle (since when did touring test teams play games in Blacktown?!!! – we will be accommodating them in Blacktown too! – close to the grounds, you see!).
For a nation that likes to whinge about other nations’ pitches, the Blacktown debacle was a real doozy!!
The GABBA and WACA (arguably the worst test pitch on earth) are real gimme’s for the Aussies – no other country really wants to play on them. The third test in Adelaide, where there might have been some competition will be the “pink ball test”!! I doubt any Kiwi, at test level or otherwise, has played with a pink ball!!! So, the CA have mitigated the potential risk of a loss, brilliantly!
But there are some real refreshing aspects to Smith’s captaincy as well. He clearly has not been in the team for long enough to have ingrained in him the typical Aussie cricket culture.
“Having been the lackey in the team, he obviously wasn’t involved in much of the nonsense that Aussie teams are reputed for and proud of.”
I don’t recall Smith ever being involved in any distasteful behaviour on the cricket field or otherwise – unlike his predecessor who was involved in 3 unsavoury incidents and was promptly rewarded by the CA with his appointment as vice captain!!!
Since when has an Aussie player or official (let alone skipper) ever admitted something negative about a team member. It was refreshing to see Smith, in his usual unassuming naive manner say he would have to have a word with his fast bowler after the nasty ball throwing incident!
Smith really does have an opportunity to change the rotten culture of the team. Australia has just played against a couple of teams where the culture is the complete opposite to theirs – England and NZ. Will Smith’s attitude rub-off on the team or will the CA culture override him and bring him into line? – time will tell.
If Smith does bring a change in culture, then it will completely destroy my theory that the reason Aussie cricketers are thugs and louts is because of the low level of intelligence and self-esteem in the team. See, the louts such as Ian Chappell, Rodney Marsh and the many who followed will never be esteemed as gentlemen or role models as is the case with the Sangakaras,Tandulkars, Lloyds or even the Strauss or Gowers of the world – but that’s a story for another day.
I’d rather a well behaved fair minded Aussie team than my theory remaining accurate! Go on Smith – here is your challenge!
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