‘Petulant’ Steve Smith torched as arrogant act exposed

Steve Smith has been called out for a controversial act of arrogance that has rubbed some the wrong way in the SCG Test.

Steve Smith has been called out over a “petulant” act.

The Aussie batter was on Friday sucked into an obvious trap as his frustrations got the better of him in Australia’s second innings.

The Aussie vice-captain fell for a blatant fielding trap that blind Freddy would have spotted, dismissed for 38 off the bowling of Mir Hamza.

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Pakistan captain Shah Masood stacked his off-side field with three fielders at cover before Hamza pitched it up outside off stump, tempting Smith to drive the ball.

It took just one delivery with the new field for Smith to be brought undone.

The 34-year-old looked furious as he hung his head while Pakistan players whooped in celebrations all around him.

Six balls later, Marnus Labuschagne was also dismissed, leaving the home side 4/187. Mitch Marsh (54) and Alex Carey (38) put Australia back on top, but the Aussie tail was wiped out with 11 wickets falling in the final session.

Smith was seen motionless hand-on-hip staring down at the pitch after Babar Azam took the catch.

His defiant pose could only be interpreted as one thing — blaming the pitch.

Steve Smith didn't move for some time looking down at the pitch. Photo: Fox Cricket.

He eventually walked off with one final stroppy hand-raise gesture.

The act was called out by cricket commentators on Friday with some suggesting it doesn’t reflect well on the star batsman.

SEN cricket commentator Adam White wrote on Twitter: “Nothing to do with the pitch. Smith’s ego got the better of him and Pakistan engineer a wicket. We need to see more of this sort of thing from the fielding captain”.

He went on to write: “Smith and particularly Labuschagne must be better at getting off the field quickly after being dismissed. Bowlers are allowed to bowl good balls or set good fields that get you out.

“Standing there in disbelief like ‘how could you possibly get me out’ isn’t a good look.”

Steve Smith walked right into it. Photo: Fox Cricket.

The Australian’s Julian Linden was also scathing, writing both Smith and Labuschagne need to look at Aussie cricket icons Sir Donald Bradman and Greg Chappell — and their classy habits of walking straight from the field following every dismissal.

“No batsman ever likes being dismissed but Smith and Labuschagne’s trait for standing around and shaking their heads in disbelief is starting to look petulant and unbefitting for batters of their class,” he wrote for News Corp newspapers.

“They haven’t breached any of the laws around dissent but their churlish stays at the crease are unnecessary and hint at bigger problems with their games right now.”

Mir Hamza celebrates the wicket of Steve Smith. Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images.

Kiwi cricket great Ian Smith also pointed out Smith’s act in commentary for Fox Cricket.

“He’s looking at the pitch surface and he stands there for quite some time and then he stays there for quite some time,” he said.

“Look at that. That is an absolute, ‘I’m blaming the pitch here’.”

“Can you believe it. Can you believe it. First one (delivery) and he’s fallen for it. That’s amazing.”

Former English captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket: “Smith can’t believe it. But it has nothing to do with the pitch.

“It’s nothing to do with the pitch. He’s fallen into the trap. Great players, they rarely get done by a trap.”