Steve Smith seeing it like a beach ball - literally - in fourth Ashes Test
Steve Smith is in such good form this Ashes series that even when an errant inflatable from the crowd came his way he casually sent it to the boundary ropes. Everything you need to know from last night’s action.
Cricket
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On a blustery, rain-affected opening day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, it was the familiar sight of Steve Smith steering Australia out of trouble as the tourists took day one honours at 3-170.
Smith finished the day unbeaten on 60, alongside Travis Head (18 not out), having added 116 for the third wicket with Marnus Labuschagne (67).
Stuart Broad had ripped through Australia’s top order, removing both David Warner (0) and Marcus Harris (13) cheaply to leave Australia reeling at 2-28.
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The rest of the day involved rain, wind and not much else as the notoriously hostile northern English weather left its mark on this series.
DID AUSTRALIA AXE WRONG MISFIRING STAR?
It’s a question that must be asked after David Warner’s nightmare Ashes hit a new low with a two-ball duck to fall inside the opening over of the fourth Test.
Steve Smith’s return forced one change to the batting lineup, with Usman Khawaja the man to make way after also struggling mightily in the opening three Tests – though he had outscored Warner.
It marked consecutive ducks for the first time in Warner’s career, as he fell to Stuart Broad for the fifth time in this series.
Warner now has 79 runs at a mere 11.28 for the series, a figure boosted considerably by his first-innings 61 at Headingley which Australia hoped would be a turning point but instead looks to be a false dawn.
Outside of that half-century, however, Warner has six single figure scores: 2. 8. 3. 5. 0. 0.
It makes for ugly reading.
After a strong World Cup, Warner has looked a man in two minds all series – which was perfectly exemplified on Wednesday as he nicked behind to a ball he was attempting to leave.
“He needs to go back to the Bull, come out and try to play a few strokes,” said former England captain Michael Vaughan.
HARRIS FAILS AGAIN
Warner isn’t the only Australian opener to struggle this series – in fact, all of them have.
Marcus Harris has stepped in and fill the shoes off Cameron Bancroft perfectly, for all the wrong reasons.
Just as with Bancroft, Harris has failed in every innings and can’t escape the teens which has left Australia two wickets down for not many in every innings.
On Wednesday, Harris played a sharp cover drive off Stuart Broad to signal his intent but was quickly found out by the veteran quick to be out for 13.
With a return of 8, 19 and now 13, it’s fair to say Australia will be desperate for any of their openers to find some form.
SMITH’S MAKES SIGNIFICANT CHANGE
It looked like the same old Steve Smith as the world’s No. 1 batsman made his return to the crease after missing the Headingley Test with concussion – but with one significant change.
After being floored by a savage Jofra Archer bouncer, Smith made the alteration to his helmet he admits makes him feel claustrophobic and added the stem guard addition.
Clipped on to the base of the back of the helmet, it offers additional protection but is unpopular with some players who find it too big a change to their normal routine.
That’s what makes the change so significant for Smith, according to Australian Test hero Steve Waugh.
“He’s the sort of guy who prepares in a certain way and he’s very meticulous in his preparation,” said Waugh.
“He likes things to stay the same, he likes to feel comfortable. So for him making a change like that is a big thing for him.
“You watch from the outside and think ‘why don’t you just do that?’ but for him he likes to stay in a routine and have things stay exactly the same.”
‘SEEING IT LIKE A BEACH BALL,’ NO, REALLY
Steve Smith has been seeing them like beach balls since his return to the Test arena, but even for the quirky Aussie superstar this was a little bit next level.
Smith was making a mockery of England’s bowling, looking untroubled throughout his unbeaten 93-ball stay at the crease, so it should’ve come as no surprise what happened when a beach ball crossed his path midway through the afternoon.
The star batsman famously wears down Australia’s coaching staff such is his thirst for facing balls, and there was an amusing moment when an inflatable ball – caught by the fierce winds – made its way across the ground, past umpire Marais Erasmus and in the direction of Smith.
And Smith duly swept it to the square leg boundary, with the wind giving some assistance it must be said, to an approving roar from the crowd – likely the only one he’ll receive from the English fans, who booed his arrival at the crease and his half century, all series.
STUART BROAD’S CAREER RESURGENCE
Before the first Test there was some speculation Broad could be the paceman to miss out, should Jimmy Anderson and Jofra Archer both overcome injury to play.
Fortunately, for England, that never happened because Broad has been at his menacing best – and toyed with Australia’s top order in particular.
He was at it again at Old Trafford, taking just four deliveries to land his first wicket (Warner, for a two-ball duck) before landing a second at the end of his fourth over.
For the fifth time in seven innings, Broad knocked over his bunny Warner – a remarkably one-sided battle that has taken 87 deliveries and coughed up just 32 runs.
His resurgence, particularly without partner-in-crime Jimmy Anderson for all but four overs this series, has been superb.
NOT JOFRA’S DAY
Jofra Archer hardly put a foot wrong in his first two Tests but looked a shade off the pace at Old Trafford.
In blustery conditions it certainly didn’t feel like Archer’s preferred weather with the Barbados-born star wearing two sweaters as he tried to stay warm.
It carried through to his bowling, with the exciting quick struggling to reach anywhere near the 150km/h thunderbolts he was sending down at Lord’s.
Everybody has an off day. And Archer has plenty of cricket to come in his career.
JACK LEACH THE NEW DRAVID?
OK, so he’s not the new Rahul ‘the Wall’ Dravid – and to suggest as much is obviously hugely disrespectful to one of the great modern day batsman, and owner of 13,288 Test runs.
But Jack Leach’s cult hero status was confirmed at Old Trafford following his stonewalling one-run effort which helped England to their Headingley miracle, with fans in the crowd showing their appreciation with some fancy dress as a group of ten or so fans sported bald caps, glasses and T-shirts with a brick wall print.
The New Wall? It just might stick …
WINDY CARNAGE WREAKS HAVOC
Stuart Broad’s 10th over was one of the oddest in Test history – and finished with play resuming without any bails.
The fierce winds whipped across the ground, bringing with them all sorts of rubbish from the huge temporary grandstand - some of which caught the eye of Marnus Labuschagne, causing him to halt play … which enraged Broad.
But worse was to come. The wind picked up even further, blowing an England helmet across the turf and then lifting the bails from the stumps.
Umpire Kumar Dharmasena made the executive decision to remove the bails entirely, and the match continued.
It was a bizarre scene. Made even more odd when the bails were returned several overs later, despite blowing off and hitting the deck every other minute.
Midway through the 37th over, however, the fourth official brought out the heavy bails – and finally the wind was defeated.
CRICKET’S BIZARRE RULES EXPOSED
The peculiar traditions of cricket were there for all to see on day one, as a lengthy rain delay caused the middle session to be washed out. Or so we thought.
Despite three hours being lost, when play resumed at 4pm local time the crowd were greeted to the news that tea would still be taken … at 5.30pm.
Sometimes you’ve just got to say ‘tradition be damned’ and get the players out on the middle when there’s no rain falling – though the cricket Gods had the final say of course.
Shortly after the players moved indoors for tea and scones, the heavens opened up and ultimately play was finished for the day.
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