Steve Smith’s baggy green chewed by rats in Sri Lankan change rooms

Steve Smith has copped criticism for his bedraggled baggy green. Now, the truth has come out about how it was damaged.

Steve Smith has been widely criticised for wearing a baggy green that looks like it has been chewed by the family pet, but the batsman says it was rodents that did it.

Smith’s sacred headwear was eaten by rats after it was left overnight in the Galle change rooms during the July Test series against Sri Lanka.

Fans and commentators have noted the bedraggled appearance of the headwear during the first two Tests, with many criticising him for letting it be reduced to such a state.

Smith’s shaggy green has lost almost all the cloth from the peak with areas of white plastic exposed by the disrespectful rats.

The batsman, who seems to call for a change of gloves at the end of every second over when batting, revealed to News Corp that the item he has worn with pride since making his debut in 2010 was attacked under cover of dark.

“I left it overnight in the change room in Galle like I do everywhere and turned up next day and rats had got to it I think,” he told News Corp.

“I’m going to try and get it fixed this week, it’s falling apart.”

Steve Smith dons the baggy green in that series against Sri Lanka earlier this year. Picture: AFP

Smith has been on the receiving end of a lot of ill informed criticism of late. He was initially blamed for breaking the Frank Worrell Trophy in post match celebrations following the Adelaide Test, but as News Corp revealed today, it was actually broken in transit.

The ball was hastily reattached to the top of the trophy by staff, but it came loose during the photo shoot.

If his cap cannot be repaired Smith can request a new one, but since Steve Waugh sparked the cult of the baggy green, players have been unwilling to replace the headgear.

Waugh, who was the first to let his green go grunge, eventually conceded to having his repaired in 2002.

His was a document of a punishing career, its interior stained by blood from the nose he used to break Jason Gillespie’s leg in a fielding mishap in 1999.

Players were given a new cap ahead of every series prior to Waugh’s insistence on a cultural shift.

Ricky Ponting told News Corp he had his repaired four times, explaining that the manufacturers shaved the plastic rim back to rejoin the cloth that frays from being handled so often when players adjust the headgear.

In one infamous incident, the cap returned with no discernible peak. One member of team management was so stressed by the sight of the baggy green beret that they threw up when it was unpacked in the dressing room.

Fortunately, the Test was in Hobart and Ponting’s mother Lorraine was called in with her sewing kit to retrieve the situation.

Ricky Ponting’s damaged baggy green.

Steve Waugh wearing his baggy green cap in 2002.

The captain’s mother saved the day when she unpicked some temporary stitching and freed the reduced peak.

Glenn Maxwell had to call for a new baggy green on the tour of Sri Lanka after his disintegrated.

The all rounder had left the cap he received on debut in his kit after his last match in Bangladesh in 2017.

“I’m glad I didn’t bring it because it has completely disintegrated, so I’m going to have to get a new one for this Test tour,” the 33-year-old said.

“I took it out last year and had a look at it, it was deteriorating and I thought that wasn’t a good sign,” he added.

“My wife took it out yesterday and said, ‘I don’t think I can bring this.’”

Many a retired baggy green has needed intervention to fix cloth and odour as it is often soaked in beer during celebrations and then stuffed into a kit bag until next needed.

Why Steve Smith’s not welcome in England

— Robert Craddock

A storm is brewing over Steve Smith’s reported plan to play English county cricket before next year’s highly anticipated Ashes series.

It has been reported in England Smith is keen to play three or four county games to warm up for what could be his fourth and final Ashes tour.

England skipper Ben Stokes tread carefully when addressing the issue at a press conference but his final point expressed his reservations about it.

“It’s good for the county game to see players of Steve’s calibre want to come over and play,’’ Stokes said.

“But I don’t know. It’s one of those where you probably prefer them not to get any game time in England before the Ashes. It is what it is.’’

Steve Smith of Australia reacts after playing a shot during the 2019 Ashes series in England. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Leading cricket scribe Paul Newman from the Daily Mail took a stronger stance, claiming England were traditionally too kind to batsmen from rival nations, particularly Australia.

“Let’s roll out the welcome mat, just like we always seem to have done for the opposition ahead of big series so they can get used to those unique English conditions of the moving Dukes ball on sporting pitches,’’ Newman wrote.

“Just like we did for up-and-coming batter Marnus Labuschagne when he warmed up for what became his starring role, initially as a concussion substitute for Smith, in the 2019 Ashes with a stint at Glamorgan. And how we did for Cameron Bancroft when he lined up for Durham before featuring in the first Test of that series.’’

Why should English cricket help Steve Smith acclimatise ahead of the Ashes. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

“Or, for once, maybe not. Maybe English cricket should think of itself and not give Australia’s best batter a helping hand before taking on a resurgent England side. Every county should say, ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ to Smith.’’

“It is a trend that bemused Trevor Bayliss when he was England coach. He could not believe England would offer the hand of friendship to the old enemy against their own interests.

‘Mate, you won’t find Sheffield Shield teams rushing to sign England players before an Ashes series in Australia, that’s for sure,’ Bayliss told Newman last year.