Who will be the first batsman to retire with 9000 test runs?

Yeah, there's players who will step up of course, but not that clear who many of them will be. Most of the teams have a few big holes to fill in the top six at the moment, and there's as many ageing stopgaps as young hopefuls being tried out at the moment. Maybe the Age of the Bat is coming to an end, though we do need some spinners to really make that happen...

JGK wrote:Smith has just announced his retirement!

We have a winner!

He's still got one innings to go yet - you never know...

Yeah, 743 would do it. Can Australia set them that as a target? Without Steyn it's possible... Warner could set a new record for highest Test score and hold it for even less time than Hayden did!

It's practically a done deal. JGK's going to feel very silly jumping the gun like that.

Dello wrote:It's practically a done deal. JGK's going to feel very silly jumping the gun like that.

Well I've just realised that he is now an Irish citizen so may well come out of retirement in 4 years to play for England or a newly Test elevated Ireland.

Yeah, he'll pick off the final 700 or so runs by the third Test of the Ireland vs Afghanistan series.

Meanwhile England and South Africa will be fighting it out to face the losers for re-elevation to Test status...

beamer wrote:Meanwhile England and South Africa will be fighting it out to face the losers for re-elevation to Test status...

C'mon it is not that bleak....the saffies have plenty of talent in the wings and you have Giles and Giles...but England too has plenty of good young players...stokes, ballance and root are all worth persisting with

finally someone's gone and done the right thing