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[Vic Nicholas]

You what now? All he tweets is drivel and abuse of Rob Key.

Enjoy those beers tonight Vic.

Thanks Alvaro old boy, but I do not like the taste of alcohol.

Orange juice, chocolate milkshakes and English tea are more my style!

[Johnny]

Vic, Flintoff was clearly right.. smith has scored his runs as a no.5!! 😝

Seriously, England would happily have 6 Steve Smith's at the moment. At least he has some balls.

[iand123]

Thanks Alvaro old boy, but I do not like the taste of alcohol.

Orange juice, chocolate milkshakes and English tea are more my style!

I do hope you don't give the English tea bags/leaves as much grief as you give us on here

[iand123]

I had reservations about smith if I'm honest I still do. He's somewhat turned a corner and it's obvious he's put some work in in the shield (the India tour showed that)

He's still got a few floors that need working on and I think a quality bowling attack will still trouble him. SA in SA will be a big test for the lad. I hope he comes through and proves people like me wrong and he goes on to be an established test player for many years. Everyone loves an underdog especially one who's prepared to put the hard yards in to improve themselves, especially in an era when people with far from perfect techniques are happy to take the t20 money and run

[Manormanic]

Smith made a fighting 50 and 89 in those first 4 tests (I love how you guys are prone to cherry picking to suit your agenda), so he was hardly useless.

When he made his debut as a 20 year old, Flintoff PANNED the kid. Warne tweets some drivel sometimes (maybe all the time), but he never pots a young kid. Whereas the brain damaged sociopath Flintoff was basically calling a 20 year old Smith the worst test player he had ever seen and "Australia are taking the piss if they ever think that Smith will be a test #6".

Smith may or may not make it long term as a test player, but, he has three Ashes hundreds to Flintoff's ONE.

Flintoff has gone into hiding now. Coward.

Whilst I don't agree with your assessment of Smith's abilities (I'd sum my view up as he'd make a handy number six if he worked on the bowling a bit), I totally agree that Flintoff, as usual, was out of line.  Though Warne not pot shotting a kid?  I seem to recall him christening Ian Bell "The Shermanator"!

[Vic Nicholas]

Ian Bell STILL is the "The Sherminator"!

That was never a critique of Bell's abilities, but a commentary on who he looks like!

I do stand partially corrected though, as I do remember Warne in a commentary stint in 2009 saying that Bopara "does not look like a test #3". It wasn't derogatory...more an observation that Bopara's loose technique was not suited to facing a newish ball. The English selectors agreed with Warne as they eventually picked J. Trott later in that series who was rock solid at #3.

[cricketbadger]

I've never quite understood it, Bell doesn't even look like the Sherminator

[leeroy]

I really hope he manages to make at least one decent score in SA so he can really show that he can bat in all conditions. I think if he can have a good series he will have cemented his place for a long time.

[Buzz]

I've never quite understood it, Bell doesn't even look like the Sherminator

[ProCricketer1982]

I thought it was a good name for bell. He resembles the Sherminator !!

[Manormanic]

He more resembles my friend Sally's pet rodent...

[smilley792]

Mark Waugh on this mornings big bash says smith will be the next Australian captain.

[Manormanic]

Mark Waugh on this mornings big bash says smith will be the next Australian captain.

paucity of candidates really at this stage, if you bear in mind that to be a candidate you have to be young enough to outlast Clarke.

[procricket]

Suspect he be using a bigger brand soon

[ProCricketer1982]

paucity of candidates really at this stage, if you bear in mind that to be a candidate you have to be young enough to outlast Clarke.

Clarkes back is going/is gone. He won't last much longer.