Steve Smith forced off field after taking nasty Jofra Archer bouncer in the neck at Lord’s
Steve Smith has been cleared of a broken arm and separately forced off the field for a time when floored by a sickening blow during a staggeringly fierce duel with English quick Jofra Archer.
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Steve Smith was cleared of a broken arm but the Australian star finished a staggering day of Ashes cricket at Lord’s feeling the effects of an scary blow to the neck as his team held on to hope of achieving a miracle win.
England was 4-96 at stumps, a lead of 104, after a final session surge from the Australian bowlers put home team in nearly as much pain as Smith with 98 overs left on the final day to potentially provide more unforgettable Ashes drama.
Smith will be able to bat again, if he passes a morning concussion test and if Australia can roll England early on day five with all four results still on the table.
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“It’s game on,” Australian coach Justin Langer said after confirming Smith was sore, but in good spirits and looking forward to getting back in the game.
After Australia was rolled for 250, Pat Cummins took two wickets in two balls, including England captain Joe Root for a duck, before Peter Siddle took two more to give Australia a sniff of what would be an amazing win.
Two denied LBW appeals off the bowling of Nathan Lyon, which the Australians didn’t refer and were both shown to be out, and two dropped catches by David Warner saved England from even further hurt.
The bowlers did the work without Smith who was sent for precautionary X-rays on his arm and didn’t field in the final session having already been forced to retire hurt after taking a sickening blow to his neck.
The 30-year-old was 80 not out and on his way to another Test century when he was felled by a bouncer during a volatile spell of fast bowling after lunch from England first-gamer Jofra Archer.
The blow sent Smith crashing to the ground and stunned silence engulfed the packed house as memories of the death of Phil Hughes from a similar hit flashed back for so many.
That included Smith’s teammates Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Warner who were all at the SCG that fateful day in 2014 when Hughes was stuck on the neck, collapsed, then later died.
But after an assessment in the change rooms Smith returned to the crease, with his arm heavily bandaged following an earlier blow from Archer which elicited a loud groan.
Smith took a painkiller before coming back out to bat and, looking decidedly uncomfortable, swatted three fours to take his score to 92, before he was dismissed in bizarre fashion.
Facing Chris Woakes, Smith turned front on to the bowler and let the ball ram in to his pads. Despite being caught plumb in front he asked for a review before he turned to walk off.
Smith was already trudging up the pavilion stairs when the third umpire confirmed he was out, which preceded a quick end to the Australian innings, all out for 250.
Without Smith fielding, Cummins turned the match on his head when he dismissed Jason Roy and Root to reduce the home team to 2-9, effectively 2-17 with the small first innings lead.
Cummins didn’t get his hat trick and two dropped catches by David Warner let the home team off the hook.
He dropped Ben Stokes twice in one over off Nathan Lyon, with Stokes also surviving the LBW appeals which the Australians failed to review.
Stokes and Jos Buttler held on to stumps and would have to survive the opening hour on day five to keep the series 1-0 going to Leeds next week.
“ALL GOOD COACH, I’M READY TO GO”
Steve Smith assured Australian coach Justin Langer multiple times he was ready to bat again at Lord’s after taking a blow to the neck which rattled the entire dressing room and sent shudders throughout the ground.
Cricket Australia also backed its concussion protocols after Smith passed three differed tests following the vicious bouncer from Jofra Archer which forced him to retire hurt and leave the field.
Smith, who was on 80, wanted to bat in the moments straight after the short ball struck him just below his left ear, a blow which left the 30-year-old lying on the Lord’s pitch, evoking memories of the death of Phil Hughes.
But team doctor Richard Saw, after doing an on-field concussion test which included simple questions about where they were and who bowled the ball, ordered Smith to retire hurt.
He was taken inside the team medical room for further examinations which included a further two concussion tests. Smith passed both the SCAT5 and Cogsport tests, which are required under CA concussion protocols.
Medical staff also reviewed a replay of the incident but Smith, who had also been given a painkiller for his arm after also being hit by Archer, was adamant he was good to go.
“I was actually surprised that as soon as he got up in the medical room, he was like “nah, I’m going OK”,” Langer said after confirming Smith would take part in the rest of the game he if passes another test on Sunday morning.
“He had the concussion testing that he goes through. The doctor came through and said he’s passed all that and he’s pretty good.
“We asked him over and over again. I asked him privately, I asked him behind closed doors two or three 3 times. I asked him in front of the group, he just kept going “all good, all good coach. I’m ready to Go”.”
“He was going “’mate, I just want to get out there. I can’t get up on the honours board unless I’m out batting”.”
Langer said Smith was more concerned about his sore arm, which required a precautionary x-ray, and prevented him fielding in the final session.
The coach said the initial reaction in the dressing room was one of great concern given the history of so many players who were present when former Test batsmen Hughes was felled by a similar blow in 2014.
“You never like seeing your players get hit like that, no doubt about that, there’s obviously some pretty rough memories of a blow like that so … there was no fun in it,” Langer said.
“These are like my sons all right, so you’re never going to put them in harm’s way.
“Then we saw him in the medical room and he was a bit rattled but he wasn’t too bad.
“He passed all that then he came back in the changeroom and he had a bit of a smile on his face. He was more worried about his arm actually – his arm was sore.”
The death of Hughes led to the creation of protective pads some batsmen wear on their helmets which prevent the ball hitting exactly where it hit Smith.
Langer said Smith didn’t wear them because he didn’t think they were comfortable, but thought they could soon become mandatory.
“I know they came in after the tragedy of Hughesy. So I’m sure it will get talked about. And he (Smith) might rethink it, “Langer said.
“At the moment, the players have a choice and I wouldn’t be surprised if they become mandatory in the future.”
ARCHER’S SPELL THE FASTEST POMS HAVE SEEN
Jofra Archer’s England teammates have never seen a faster spell of bowling than his eight overs after lunch at Lord’s which included twice hitting Australia’s batting talisman Steve Smith.
In his debut Test, Archer bowled the fastest delivery of the match, a 154kmh rocket, in the second last over of the spell which Australian coach Justin Langer said remain in the minds of not just Smith, but all his batsmen when they next have to face him.
“I can only go from experience. When you get hit, it’s always in the back of your mind, no doubt,” Langer said.
“Any batsman who tells you it’s not is a liar.
“But (Smith) is also the sort of person who will do everything from now until the next time he bats, whether it’s mentally- visualising or practising - to be right.
“The fact he came out and batted today again, he’ll be right to go.
“Today is an ugly incident. Thankfully Steve has come through it OK and hopefully he will continue to have a great series.
Archer’s average speed during the spell, his fourth of the Australian innings, averaged 144kmh, the third fastest sustained period of bowling in an Ashes series in England since 2005.
At one point Archer bowled 16 deliveries in a row that were all over 145kmh.
He zoned in on Smith, and after hitting the Australian on the arm, fired two more short balls at him.
One of them Smith top-edged over the keeper for four, and the second needed a short arm hook to deflect the ball from his face.
Archer’s teammate Chris Woakes said he had never seen a more fiery spell in his time in cricket, at any level, setting the scene for more to come if Australia bats again at Lord’s.
“You see quick bowling around the world and there’s certain times when there’s quick spells but that was a prolonged spell of fast bowling,” Woakes said.
“I don’t know what the average was but he was up around there every ball, and I think the atmosphere in the crowd, you could tell it was pretty special because you can get a feel for it.
“The crowd were behind every ball, everyone was watching every ball, and it was pretty special to be a part of.
“I haven’t been on the field when someone’s bowled that quick consistently.”
Originally published as Steve Smith forced off field after taking nasty Jofra Archer bouncer in the neck at Lord’s
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