Penrith Panthers star Lindsay Smith shocks BBL team Sydney Thunder with batting skills

Lindsay Smith gave up cricket as a teenager to focus on rugby league, but the Penrith star got to show off his skills with bat and ball, as the Panthers signed a historic deal with the Sydney Thunder.

Apparently he’s good at everything.

Lindsay Smith’s rugby league ability forced him to turn away from cricket as a teen, but his ease with a bat begs the question, ‘what if he didn’t’?

The Penrith and Kangaroos prop has showed off his surprising skills by smacking Sydney Thunder fast bowler Ryan Hadley and wicket keeper Sam Billings over the boundary last week.

“It was good fun, to be out in the middle on a turf wicket again,” he said.

“You spend your whole life doing it as a kid so it felt good, when you go to the nets now it’s all synthetic. I missed it. “Sometimes I wish I could go down and play a game but there’s more important things going on now, I guess.”

Panthers star Lindsay Smith having a hit with the Sydney Thunder. Picture: Supplied

Smith was one of a select few Panthers representatives to throw down a few balls with Thunder stars as the NRL premiers and Big Bash club unite in partnership for Western Sydney fans.

He was a “fast-ish” bowler when he was younger, he reckons, but Smith’s ability with the bat caught the eye of onlookers, including his former development squad teammate, NSW cricket captain Jack Edwards.

Smith played grade and representative cricket with Penrith, while Edwards was at Manly.

“We were in the Emerging Blues in the under 13s and 14s,” Edwards said.

“He was a good fast bowler. Similar to how he plays his footy now. Just went hard and all effort. I do remember that and I think he chose the right thing going to footy.

“I think it was always a good contest, Manly against Penrith. I probably got along with him pretty well to be honest. We had some good trainings together at Blacktown.

“I still recognise his bowling action seeing him now. He was a good bowler. But playing for the Kangaroos now he probably made the right decision.”

Smith also impresses with ball in hand. Picture: Supplied

Smith made his debut for Australia this season but still loves cricket, especially Test cricket, and occasionally wonders what could have been.

“I played at decent level nothing too crazy, up until I was about 16, when I stopped playing to try and make it, but then I played another two years after that just for fun,” he said.

“Once you hit that age Harold Matts and SG Ball is full on, and your pre-season starts early so they overlap too much.

“There was definitely a point where I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but it just became an obvious decision when I got to that age just how things were going footy wise and how they were going cricket wise.”

Smith poses with Thunder star Sam Billings, as the Panthers sign a deal with their BBL neighbours to help provide ticket deals to each other’s members and fans. Picture: Supplied

The partnership between the two clubs is a win for fans in Western Sydney, which will provide ticket deals for each team’s members and fans.

There’ll be a Panthers’ members bay at ENGIE Stadium for the match against the Perth Scorchers on January 13, where Penrith members can buy two for one tickets.

“Ultimately our goal is to work alongside Panthers to bring affordability, access and opportunity for the people of Western Sydney,” said Trent Copeland, Thunder general manager.

“Ultimately our goal is to work alongside Panthers to bring affordability, access and opportunity for the people of Western Sydney.”

Thunder started the Big Bash season with a stunning victory over Adelaide Strikers, ending in calls for opening batsman, 19-year-old Sam Konstas to make his Test debut in Sydney.

They face arch rivals Sydney Sixers in the Sydney Smash on at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday night.

Originally published as Penrith Panthers star Lindsay Smith shocks BBL team Sydney Thunder with batting skills