Ashes 2019: Steve Smith maintaining his idiosyncratic style at the crease
Feeling weary on day three, Steve Smith decided he’d have a dressing room nap - in the bathtub. Just one of the quirks of a man who is quite comfortable runing his own race.
Steve Smith has taken his idiosyncratic, theatrical leaves to extraordinary new levels – but insists he has no idea what is going on inside his head when he does them.
That seemed scarcely believable at Lord’s on Saturday as Smith’s exaggerated, quirky moves dominated from ball one.
From the first ball he faced from Ben Stokes in the opening over on day four, Smith was at his fidgety best.
He switched from the lightsabre swipe to a samurai stab and finally hopped forward on one leg as he danced down the wicket, to bemused looks around the ground.
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All this in addition to his usual tic of readjusting every piece of equipment after every delivery as he shuffles around the crease.
Then, after a rare play-and-miss, Smith walked towards square leg, angrily swatting at an imaginary swarm of bees.
What goes on inside Smith’s head – and inside his bubble – is one of cricket’s most puzzling questions.
Australian teammate Matthew Wade sat next to Smith after the pair conducted press interviews having scored centuries at Edgbaston in the opening Test.
Wade roared with laughter when a journalist asked a question about trying to get inside Smith’s head.
“Dangerous question trying to get in Smudge’s head,” Wade joked.
“You don’t want to be in there.”
Smith insists when he gets in the zone, he is able to block everything else out. It’s what makes his defence impenetrable, and his record untouchable.
“Someone sent something around on a Whatsapp group last night with me dancing around (at the crease),” Smith said on Saturday.
“I actually don’t know I’m doing that kind of stuff. I know I’m a little bit eccentric… but I didn’t realise I’m doing it that bad.”
But the leaves weren’t the only unusual act Smith has been caught up in this week at Lord’s.
The famously poor sleeper has struggled to get any shut eye on the nights before the first three days play – and was showing signs of wear and tear after a gruelling opening session on day three as England’s bowlers turned the screws on Australia.
Rain hit after lunch, and fatigue overcame Smith to the point where he had to find a quiet spot to have a nap.
So he did. In a bathtub, in the team dressing room. It’s a strange place inside Smudge’s head.
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