Steven a bloody good cricketer, says Chappell
Melbourne | Monday, Jul 12 2010 IST
 

Cricket legends Ian Chappell and Stuart MacGill were all praise for Steven Smith, calling him ''bloody good cricketer'' and said the promising leg-spinner should have been blooded during Australia's tour to New Zealand earlier this year.

While opinions have divided over Smith making his Test debut in the first Test match against Pakistan, starting tomorrow, but Chappell felt that the leg-spinner, veteran of just 13 first-class matches, should have got a chance a play for Australia even earlier in New Zealand in place of Marcus North, for cementing his place in the Ashes squad.

Smith, from NSW, is certain to get a start as a replacement for the injured Nathan Hauritz in the first match, just two years after making his debut in the baggy blue.

''I thought at least you give him a Test or two before you play him in an Ashes Test because I reckon you need to play two spinners in Adelaide and Sydney and he is the perfect guy to do it,'' Chappell said.

''He is probably not good enough to bat at six in a Test, but Haddin can bat at six comfortably and Smith can bat at seven, then you have got five bowlers plus Watson, you can bowl him at an appropriate time and, if it's not going well for him, you can get him out of there. You don't have to keep bowling him if he is taking a bit of pounding and bring him back when he's likely to have a bit of success,'' he added.

The former captain further said of Smith, ''The thing about the kid (Steven) is he is a bloody good cricketer, he's not just a leg-spinner, he's a bloody good cricketer.'' ''He's got four first-class 100s, he's a fantastic fielder, he's a viable second spinner in a Test side and he doesn't appear to bowl a lot of rubbish.

''The other thing about him which is terribly important -- and this is the crux about him -- when you pick a young guy you have to ask yourself if he goes badly will it affect him over a long period? ''What you have seen with Smith from the Twenty20 games is that like Warnie -- and there is no one like Warnie -- he doesn't seem to be put off by people whacking him over the fence.

''Warnie would get a grin on his face when someone hit him for six as if they had fallen into the trap and this kid isn't quite in that category, but he won't follow up after being hit for six with a couple of long hops or full tosses, in other words get a bit tight,'' the former captain was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.

The former leg spinner MacGill was of the same opinion and said, ''In my opinion selectors missed a massive opportunity in New Zealand,'' he said. ''It would have been very, very hard on Marcus North, but I think because he'd had a minor form glitch he would have been the man to miss out. I would have picked Steven Smith for those Test matches as the second spinner behind Hauritz.'' MacGill was, however, concerned that using Smith as the first spin bowler may not suit his style or the expectations of the side.

''It doesn't matter what happens to him initially, at least he will still turn up and bowl, but he won't do the job Nathan Hauritz is expected to do, he is not a stock bowler,'' MacGill added.

-- (UNI) -- 12SPD36.xml

 

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