‘Played and missed 18 times’: Root believes England have Smith’s number

Sure you are, Joe. Armed with a new bowling attack that includes Steve Smith’s apparent kryptonite, England’s captain believes he is close to figuring out the riddle that is Australia’s batting master.

Joe Root had no answers for Smith. Picture: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP

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Patience and persistence were among the keys to Steve Smith’s rampant Edgbaston run-fest which put Australia in to prime Ashes-winning position.

Those two elements now loom as England’s way of undoing the batting superstar in the second Test at Lord’s after a concession the home team didn’t have the willpower to go with Smith in Birmingham.

Returning to the sight of the first of his two Ashes double-centuries, Smith, who made 215 and 58 in the Lord’s Test in 2015, is refreshed and ready for more according to his Australian teammates.

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Joe Root had no answers for Smith. Picture: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP

England captain Joe Root has also refreshed the bowling attack he will unleash on Smith, and the other Australian batsmen, with fast bowler Jofra Archer and left-arm spinner Jack Leach to come in to his team.

Australian coach Justin Langer said he didn’t “buy in” to suggestions Smith was more susceptible to left-arm spin, against which he averages a mere 34.

But Root said it wasn’t one type of bowling that would bring Smith undone, just a better capacity to stick to plans for longer, adamant the Australian was as fallible as any batsman.

“You’re always looking at different ways how you can try and get someone out,” he said on the eve of the second Test.

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“I think maybe one thing that could have done slightly better, me personally as captain, was stick to a plan for a little bit longer, give it a chance to work a little bit more.

“I think it was 18 times early on in that first innings he played and missed. It could have been very different. In some ways that’s a sign that plans are working. We’ve just got to be a little bit more patient with it.

“And he’s got to start again this week ... new challenge, new wicket, different atmosphere. I think it’s very important that whatever way we decide to go we’re confident it’s going to work and back our ability to execute it well.”

Langer said missing the tour game in Worcester was crucial for Smith, who returned to Test cricket at Edgbaston after his 12 month ban and was “exhausted” after his twin centuries.

Steve Smith celebrates his second century of the Edgbaston Test. Picture: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP

But Smith was the first man in the nets when the Aussies reunited at Lord’s on Sunday. He stayed there for nearly two hours, facing a left-arm spinner from the United Arab Emirates, and a few thousand more throw downs from batting coach Graeme Hick.

The coach said Smith’s mental and physical freshness was being monitored, but the signs were good so far that the Lord’s honour board, which bears the name of century makers at the ground, could add one more this week.

“You have to recognise they are humans are have a certain amount of battery and you re-charge them as well as you can for every big event,” Langer said.

Joe Root was left frustrated by Smith at Edgbaston. Picture: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP

“As we keep saying, he's a different beast and he knows how to prepare and what works for him.”

And Langer said the new challenge of left-arm spinner Jack Leach was just another problem for Smith to solve in his own, unique, and brilliant way.

“He's got this incredible ability to solve problems, I'm sure he'll be thinking a lot about he's going to play all the new bowlers who are coming in.

“And I hope all our batters are doing the same thing, but he's a good player and hopefully he'll have a way of working it out.”

STEVE SMITH CAPATINCY TALK

Former Test captain Kim Hughes says batting superstar Steve Smith should be left alone to “just bat” and not be part of the conversation for Australia’s next skipper.

Smith isn’t eligible to be captain again until March 2020 under the conditions of his ban for the sandpaper scandal in South Africa.

He returned to Test cricket in the opening Ashes clash at Edgbaston, and his two centuries, the first time he had achieved that feat in his career, have made him the standout talking point going in to the second match at Lord’s.

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Hughes, who played 70 Tests, including 28 as captain, said Smith’s batting was “unbelievable” at Edgbaston.

And Hughes, who was at Birmingham and also at Lord’s casting his eye over the Australians, said batting should be all Smith has to do for at least the next three or four years.

“Just let him play. Tim Paine is doing an outstanding job as captain,” Hughes said.

“Maybe the captaincy is a question in three or four year’s time. Just leave him to get on with the job of batting.”

He dismissed any notion of Smith moving to number three in the batting order, like England captain Joe Root.

Can Smith become the Lord of Lord’s. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Hughes said the best player of his era and one of the best ever, West Indian Sir Vivian Richards, only ever batted at number four, where Smith comes in.

He said Smith was just an “exceptional” batsman.

“You don’t like the word freak, but he is one out of the box. He was exceptional, unbelievable,” Hughes said.

“His attitude and dedication is just obsessive. You still have to get out there and do it, but his patience and persistence is something else.”