I was listening to the radio all afternoon yesterday as was driving and

they were discussing the Steve Smith thing ands they had Mark Wood giving his incredibly (un)inciteful commentary of the sort of discussions they've had in the dressing room but I just couldn't help thinking that despite the "we've tried everything" I don't think I've seen England implement any consistent plan to try and get him out. I've watched pretty much every day of the series so far (apart from yesterday) and I can't think of any spells except perhaps Archer roughing him up at Lords.

Root (great player but not a good captain in my view) has spectacularly managed to have the wrong bowlers bowling at him every time he starts his innings which has enabled him to get to 20 or 30 and play himself in and I can't really remember any period where we've targeted him with a mixture of short stuff and fast yorkers which surely must be a possible angle of attack?

I know his hand/eye co-ordination is amazing but the wagon wheel showing where he scores his runs also shows you that its incredibly predicatable and its basically only in the third of the pitch behind square. Surely, given how he walks across his stumps, one plan you have is to pack the field on the leg side where he scores his runs, and fire in some yorkers at him mixed with some of the short stuff?

Unfortunately though our bowlers have been pretty decent generally (and Broad very good against left handers), England so far have not really seemed to bowl with any coherent plan or patience to Smith or that Labuchagne (sp) chap. If we don;t get a wicket we seem to change tack after just a few overs and try something different whereas the Aussies have just been bowling a tight line and length and letting out batsmen get themselves out.

Posted By: Jim, Sep 5, 09:20:17