Suspended skipper Steve Smith keen to pass on tips to Sixers teammates after embarrassing loss

He’s still banned, and he wouldn’t be able to anyway because his arm is in a sling, but Steve Smith is lurking as the Sydney Sixers’ secret weapon ahead of the Big Bash semi against the Melbourne Renegades.

Steve Smith is making his mark with the Sixers even though he’s not playing.

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He’s still not allowed to play, and he wouldn’t be able to anyway because his arm is in a sling after recent elbow surgery, but Steve Smith is lurking as the Sydney Sixers’ secret weapon ahead of Friday night’s Big Bash semi-final against the Melbourne Renegades.

The ex-Aussie captain has been doing everything he can to help the Sixers refocus after their catastrophic loss to the Stars on Sunday, even wearing the team’s colours to net sessions.

“Absolutely he’s a Sixers man, he’s got his pink shorts on,” fast bowler Sean Abbott said.

Steve Smith is making his mark with the Sixers even though he’s not playing.

“He’s a wonderful guy and he’s been around at a couple of sessions and he’s always there to bounce a few ideas off or to have a laugh with, he’s quite a positive influence on the group.

“He loves cricket and talking about cricket and he’ll do it as long as anyone there’s to ask him questions.”

Smith’s calming words of wisdom couldn’t come at a better time for the Sixers after they blew their chance of hosting the semi-finals when they were bowled out for just 74 by the Stars.

Instead of playing the Renegades at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Sixers will have to travel south to Marvel Stadium but are buoyed by the fact they won there during the regular season.

“As a bowling group, we defended quite a low total down there and we’re still the best in the league in batting when it comes to ones and two,” Abbott said.

“It’s actually quite a tough pitch to go out there and get started on so I think that suits our batting unit and suits our bowling attack as well.”

By coincidence, the Sixers were also coming off a loss to the Stars when they restricted the Renegades to 9-99 in Melbourne in late December and have repeatedly shown they can quickly bounce back after defeats.

But this time they will have to do it without star all-rounder Tom Curran, who has left Australia to join England in the West Indies.

The Sixers were demolishded by the Stars last weekend.

Curran is a massive loss because of his contributions with both and ball but Abbott, who is the second leading wicket taker in the competition with 21 scalps this season, said others simply had to fill the void.

“We know we’ve been playing pretty good cricket all year and while it was a pretty heavy loss the other night, we’ve been training really well and there’s a really good vibe in the group,” Abbott said.

“Obviously we lose Tom Curran for the finals and he’s been a very big part of our team so me and Benny (Dwarshuis) have to step it up.

“It’s not round (robin) games anymore, our season’s on the line and we’ve got to go out there and win.”

Originally published as Suspended skipper Steve Smith keen to pass on tips to Sixers teammates after embarrassing loss