With a massive lump on his forearm from an earlier blow, Steve Smith suffered a sickening knock last night in the second Ashes Test.
As callous Lord’s spectators booed, the Australian was led off the pitch after he collapsed to the ground, and stayed there for some time, when he was hit flush on the neck by a Jofra Archer short ball.
Yet, so tough and so determined is Smith, he returned about 40 minutes later to try to convert his score of 80 not out into a third consecutive ton. It was perhaps too brave a move by Smith, as he did not look right once he returned.
Quite astonishingly, Smith was booed three separate times by spectators – first when he was led off the ground, then when he returned to bat, and finally when he was out LBW for 90. Those spectators should be ashamed of themselves.
Archer and his team-mate Jos Buttler may also regret their behaviour in the wake of Smith being hit. While Smith was still flat on the turf, Archer and Buttler were shown laughing and grinning together.
Given the way Phil Hughes’ death still haunts cricket, that footage of the English players did not look good.
The knock suffered by Smith was the culmination of one of the most thrilling and intimidating spells of fast bowling witnessed in Test cricket since Mitch Johnson ran amok in South Africa in 2014.
Archer had bowled well, but without any unusual level of menace, up until he thudded the ball into Smith’s forearm, forcing the Aussie to get prolonged medical treatment and don an arm guard. Suddenly, Archer found another gear.
Sensing that the immovable Smith was suddenly vulnerable, the English quick pushed his pace up above 150 kilometres per hour. Not just once, but repeatedly. Archer produced the fastest Test over on record by an Englishman, according to CricViz, with a set of six balls that averaged 149 kilometres per hour.
While Smith has been troubled by the moving or spinning ball in the past, never have I seen him bullied by raw speed in this fashion. Should he be cleared fit to play in the next Test, Smith’s battles with Archer could be epic.
Smith’s ability to bat on after two horrific blows was rousing. So often he is praised for his skill, consistency and patience.
Yet he’s also proved, again and again, that he is a tough and fearless cricketer.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Similarly valiant was the innings by Smith’s batting partner at the time, Pat Cummins. Imagine seeing the world’s best batsman smashed twice by Archer and then, as a tailender, having to face him yourself. Yet Cummins refused to give in for two hours, scratching his way to 20 from 80 balls.
His brave effort frustrated England and allowed the tourists to make 250, giving England a lead of just eight runs.
Cummins then took the new ball and snared two wickets in as many deliveries to start the fifth over. At 2/9, with the inexperienced pair of Rory Burns and Joe Denly at the crease, Australia had an opportunity to make major inroads into the England batting line-up.
They squandered that, however, by offering four lives to England in a short space of time. First Denly was dropped at first slip by David Warner off the bowling of Peter Siddle. Then in the next over, Lyon trapped Burns in front but it was given not out and Australia failed to review it.
Then Warner turfed another catch, this one more difficult, after Nathan Lyon had tied Ben Stokes in knots again and again. First Stokes inside edged Lyon past the keeper, then he nicked just fine of Warner at slip, then he edged to his right side and Warner dived and dropped the chance. All that occurred in just one over.
England’s fourth piece of fortune came soon after when Australia didn’t review a Lyon LBW shout against Stokes that was shown to be crashing into leg stump.
These wasted opportunities greatly reduced Australia’s hopes of going 2-0 in this series. However, cricket is wildly unpredictable.
Here’s hoping for a crazy Day 5.
Cari
Roar Rookie
I agree completely, inferring that a bowler can control the height of a cricket ball to deliberately hit a batsman’s head is frankly ludicrous. Even if he could why would any bowler want to hit the helmet or faceguard when the batsman is very unlikely to loose his wicket? The bouncing ball has been used by Australians countless times in test and shortened games for years and to whinge when it’s used against them seems a little weird. Learnt today that Smith won’t be playing in the third test. That’s a shame; I truly admired his batting and wish him a complete recovery.
Cari
Roar Rookie
I agree completely, inferring that a bowler can control the height of a cricket ball to deliberately hit a batsman’s head is frankly ludicrous. Even if he could why would any bowler want to hit the helmet or faceguard when the batsman is very unlikely to loose his wicket? The bouncing ball has been used by Australians countless times in test and shortened games for years and to whinge when it’s used against them seems a little weird. Learnt today that Smith won’t be playing in the third test. That’s a shame; I truly admired his batting and wish him a complete recovery.
Akkara
Roar Rookie
Ronan, I read your articles with great interest, however on this occasion I feel that by focusing only "determined" Smith and the behavior of the English players and crowd, you have missed a significant issue, the "Win at all costs" attitude of the Australian cricket management. Any rational person would have expected Smith to be out of the game for at least 4 wks, particularly if you have seen the Hughes footage. Instead, to my absolute horror, they sent him back in. For Langer to imply that Smith wanted his name on the Lords honour board, as one of the reasons, is so immature and unprofessional. Furthermore, I couldn't believe that the Australian team still continues to play without a stem guard. My son wares one in the under 15s. While we should not expect our sportsman to have the smarts to make the right call in these situations, we sure can expect the management to do so. CA must educate their employees that the safety of these players is the most important factor, not “win at all costs”, or being macho. If you don't want to ware a stem guard, don't play the game. The next match that Smith plays should not be against a team with Archer in it, and none of the decisions should be in Smiths hands. That's if we want him to recover and have an ongoing career.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
True
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
I'm not disputing whether they should or shouldn't review. I'm saying there's no confidence the algorithm is within acceptable limits, especially on wickets which are worn. With short form roads you can say there's a reasonable degree of probability that the surface has behaved in a normal manner. On a Test track, if you have enough distance between pitching and hitting a pad you may have enough to determine the line, but the height is the issue for me, with balls kicking or shooting. It has to be frustrating for bowlers seeing balls go through outside off or leg actually dipping lower than the stumps and bouncing twice before it hits the keeper, to then have a similar ball on the stumps do the same thing, be given out, then overturned by an algorithm which says at that length and delivery angle it woulda gone over the top. I understand the benefits of tech in sport. I believe at times though it can be wrong, or ill advised to use as it isn't accurate enough yet for purpose. Player reviews have shown that they have as little idea as umpires most of the time, but one thing players and umpires have over cameras, commentators in stands and spectators on tv, is they see from close distance how a ball is behaving and decisions from that are instinctual. Having the ability to overturn a legit decision, based on the evidence, because you desperately need a wicket isn't correcting a howler.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
More pathetic than a Lords crowd?
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
I don't believe we've ever booed your cheats and we certainly don't boo fallen players. As for bouncers, it's part of the game introduced by a team other than our but we embrace it, we are reasonably good at it so we expect it back in spades. We also have the cattle with enough courage to stand and take rather than running away. So all is fair and I'd suggest most Australian test batsmen will be in the nets begging the quick men to bowl short whilst preparing for Headingly.
Massive Ferguson
Guest
Anonymity? The cameras could easily identify them if required. You'd go down in infamy if you were pubically outed booing a player in Smiths Lords circumstances.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
I've certainly seen some ball tracking which didn't seem right but this is the system used, I can't remember who the first was for Lyon not reviewed and thought there was doubt it matched the tracking. The second against Stokes, yep they should have reviewed.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
What the?
Rellum
Roar Guru
Or baseball
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Or better still they could just bowl in a 30cm box so the batsman can hit it out of the park every other ball. Oh, hang on, they already do, it's called 20/20!
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
I didn't say ban short bowling, I said ban bowling balls aimed at the head. Sounds like you copped a few in yours.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Just knew someone would say ban short bowling. Go and play bowls, mate.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Ball tracker is a huge problem for me. It is worked off regular balls for line and length. As we’ve seen in England this summer the tracks have been two paced and a large number not getting up. That surely has to count for the naked eye, but if reviewed the algorithm says at that length it’s going over the top. It’s also the reason they won’t give it out if only half a ball will hit. Then there’s the stupidity of the review against Stokes that just happened and they couldn’t get it to work properly. It isn’t good enough to be used, if for no other reason than it has to make the total area of the stumps smaller to be considered accurate.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Every few overs he'd come in for a ball or two off ten or twelve paces and bowl a yard quicker. Brilliant to watch with that fast arm.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Buttler checked on him and then spoke to Archer. Archer turned to go back to his mark the same as bowlers in the middle of an aggressive spell have done since the 70's. When Archer saw he stayed down he came forward and was intercepted by Buttler. The fact Archer didn't go and pat Smith on the shoulder is blown outta proportion. Archers reaction was immediate and honest. He has nothing to answer to. There's idiots talking here about Archer didn't need to aim at the head, etc. Sheer stupidity and I suspect they weren't even watching. Smith ducked into it because he was rattled from the arm hit. Cummins on the other hand swayed outta the way of more lethal bouncers.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
He'd just seen a mate get hit in exactly the same way as he saw another mate die. I'd suggest he was rattled.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
If you're talking about 1989, then the Poms held the Ashes and the Aussies were labelled the worst touring team ever. I suspect at that time these same yokels were touring Europe glassing opposition soccer fans, but are now banned from football stadiums so joined the barmy army.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
I played against a guy who used to punch himself in the face to get himself psyched. One day I told him he didn't need to as I was happy to bounce him to get him worked up. He laughed, I bounced him first ball and he hit it straight to backward square. Then we laughed as he punched himself in the face as he walked off, berating himself for not being ready. It's a great game!