Wrap - Wickets and Pickets

1. The Australian cricket team have really dominated this summer, outside of a few sessions and a day or two at Melbourne. The batting of Smith has been awesome. Unconventional, but highly effective. Many think Steyn or someone quicker may unpick the style and approach, but he changes it for all bowlers...tough to conquer, with an eye like a dead fish. The spin of Lyon and the pace of the other bowlers - Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood - has also been too consistent and has brought critical results at critical times. 20 plus wickets each is exceptional. Comprehensive. The next series is always the challenge, especially on the road.

2. Best? This rubbish out of control talk about the "best since Bradman" is simultaneously unfair on Smith who would be the first to knock it on the head - and highly disrespectful to Bradman who was 35 runs an innings - an innings - better than the next best. Adam Voges in 20 tests (31 innings) averaged 61.87. Headley (22 tests, 60.83) and Paynter (20 tests, 59.23) also batted about the same number of times as Voges.

Smith in 61 Tests (111 innings) averages 63.75. The media love a story or a fairytale. Bradman was and is invincible in every respect. Get over it and move on. Graham Pollock 23 Tests (41 innings, 60.97) might have also had something to say about this without government endorsed discrimination and segregation apartheid policies between 1948 - 1991.

3. Shaun Marsh's innings at the Sydney Test was simply outstanding. Watching him use his feet on such a difficult turning deck was to witness all his promise and talent in one innings. An incredible effort of style, grace and cunning. Mitchell Marsh as also dominant in a different way. His cut shot close to his body is an exceptional strength. Power. Credit where it is due....or even overdue.

4. The MCG pitch and its criticism is out of line. Atrociously boring, but not the worst deck we have seen worldwide. Plenty are happy to put the boot into the Australian administrators, but clearly there is a lot of unhappiness and change in the curator ranks there. The WACA has been worse...the 1980s MCG pitch was horrible...the SCG has been a joke at times, including a massively boring test or two v India in the early 2000s. The recent poor decks in Pune, Sri Lanka and greentops in NZ have been worse.

5. The NRL Integrity Unit are apparently on holidays and not back for a while. Holidaying at a traditionally extremely busy time. Come to think of it, the NRL boys are being very well behaved in early 2018. Long may it continue as professionalism becomes more engrained.

6. The Cleveland Browns lost their NFL season 0-16 which is a staggeringly bad year, especially after a brighter pre-season. Worst season for some time. The amazing fact is that their coach looks like retaining his gig. Rare loyalty.

7. BBL. How dominant has the leg spinner been in the BBL this year? Boyce, Zampa, Shah, Rashid, Swepson, Hogg, Nair, Ahmed. Awesome talent. The upcoming IPL auction will be interesting. Some of these lads may become overnight millionaires. Zampa in the ODI team, but may need to watch he is on the ball with plenty of other options lurking.

8. Nick Kyrgios on track for a big start to the ATP season with a stunning winning week in Brisbane. Dominant. With the right head space, he could be a world force. Consistency will be his test.

Equally, Federer powers on, even in jest, at the Hopman Cup giggleathon. I noticed Rafa has also rolled into town after his knee injury. He is well positioned to excel again. The world's two best athletes.