After Ben Stokes led England to a miracle victory in the third Ashes Test there was heavy focus on whether Australia would be able to recover mentally.
Yet it was England who fell apart last night at Old Trafford.
Basic catches turfed, a wicket taken off a no ball and regular lazy fielding efforts – England were a rabble on Day 2 in Manchester as Australia took control of the fourth Test.
Rookie England quick Jofra Archer claimed this week that Australia “panicked” and were complacent in the latter stages of the Leeds Test.
That second description perfectly fit some of his half-hearted fielding yesterday, efforts that were symptomatic of a surprisingly flat performance by England.
When Matt Wade lost his mind, charged down the pitch, tried to slog Jack Leach and skied a catch, Australia were 5-224 and in a vulnerable position on a good batting pitch. With the series locked at 1-1 you would have thought that gift of a wicket would have had England bouncing around in the field.
Not at all. Instead, they continued to look as if they were plodding along in first gear.
(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Stuart Broad aside, none of their quicks were anywhere near their best. When the in-form veteran seamer drew a regulation edge from the blade of Tim Paine, who was on nine, Jason Roy dropped a dolly of a catch at second slip. Broad couldn’t hide his disgust.
Not long after Leach, who had bowled beautifully, had Smith caught at slip. At 6-273 England were well in the game. Or at least they should have been.
Replays showed Leach had over-stepped, an extraordinary error for a spin bowler to make, and Smith was recalled.
Then just before tea, Paine slapped a pull shot straight to mid-wicket where substitute fielder Sam Curran made a mess of an easy catch.
By that point, Paine and Smith had already made England pay for their shoddy efforts. That pair put on what may be a series-defining stand of 145.
Smith, right now, is batting on such a rare level that he just needs his partner to stick around. They need not do much more than occupy the crease while he drives England to madness with his run hoarding.
Paine may have only made 58, but in batting for three hours he let Smith indulge his genius and ensured England’s torment was extended.
Paine has had a horror series with the bat. It must be said, though, that he didn’t just stick to the crease yesterday, he in fact looked in better nick than he has for almost a year.
His defence was granite solid, his running between the wickets was sharp and he timed the ball nicely.
If Paine can rediscover the wonderful batting form he displayed in the last Ashes, and the subsequent Test tour of South Africa, it will go a long way to helping Australia retain the Ashes. What he and Smith did yesterday was put Australia into a commanding position from which it will be very difficult for them to lose this Test.
I’m not sure what to write about Smith. Is there anything that hasn’t yet been stated? Is there any new angle from which to direct praise?
I’ve long cringed at the ‘best since Bradman’ tag some have given him. It seemed premature for Smith to have leapfrogged the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Garry Sobers.
(Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
In this Ashes, though, Smith has batted at a level that has rarely ever been witnessed in England. This has been a low-scoring series with a helpful Dukes ball and involving two very good attacks. Yet Smith has peeled off runs with such ease that it’s hard to fathom.
To have done so after 16 months out of Test cricket, in front of crowds abusing him and baying for him to fail, makes his performance all the more remarkable. Smith’s imperious knock of 211 last night gives him 589 runs from just four innings in this Ashes. Truly gobsmacking.
Meanwhile, Smith’s Test record sits at 6788 runs at 64.6, with a remarkable 26 tons from just 67 matches.
In helping Australia to a massive total last night, Smith has heaped pressure on England. The home side have exceeded 260 just twice in six innings so far in this series.
England will now have to bat with the knowledge that victory is the most distant of goals. That is due to the mind-bending brilliance of Smith and, to a lesser extent, the support offered by skipper Paine.
Australia, once more in this series, have rebounded in impressive fashion.
Seymorebutts
Guest
I agree, we are running out of superlatives for Smith. When it all started he looked like he could be a handy leg spinner who would pick up a few wickets at the end of an innings... we didnt think he would be the next Shane Warne but he had potential.. Now I look back and think, who knew this kid could bat?
HedleyLamarr
Roar Rookie
Watch the ball out of the hand.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
I often think of that with bradman having so long off for the war. He stands alone at the top of the mountain. I think of him bradman alongside laver in tennis who also missed 7 years plus all be it for different reasons . Still the year off dents Smiths fine record even more. you may have a point though 6 months off got roger federer three more slams with a revised game. Clearly you need to be number one sort of talent before it all
elvis
Roar Rookie
Bradman missed 7 years in his prime. Perhaps having time off has something to do with making the greatest of batsman.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Another horrible person writes: I don't like Smith the batsman. Once Upon A Time I could watch a batsman and happily predict his future based on his technique and not be too far wrong. Smith has done as good a job of destroying that simple pleasure as deep fakes have done of ruining the celebrity sex tape blackmail business. And he must have made life miserable for thousands of coaches across the country. "No Jayden. You should be playing that line though the covers". To which Jayden will respond squeakily with; "But Steve Smith doesn't!". Like Gilchist, Smith is a one-off freak and I hope his 'style' is forgotten as soon as he retires. Otherwise, it could be chaos in future I tells ya.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
I'll just move on, actually. You just told me more about yourself in that one ridiculous post, than I can hope to get from any discussion of cricket.
Gauss
Roar Rookie
Nah, it was 2-1 in 2005. Then we got an Oval pitch described by Mikey Holding as “a different colour to any Oval pitch he’d seen in 30 years”. They’ll prepare whatever suits their requirements, so expect a result wicket next week (if the Ashes are still up for grabs).
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Bowl at the stumps. Get results.
Jim
Guest
If smith causes the England team to mentally disintegrate through his sublime batting then good on him and all credit to him. If the England team cannot deal with someone of his ability then they deserve to lose. If as a result of this then the aussies win the ashes then it is deserved and must be applauded by all. It is a good win It just shows that what was needed in the past was a Management and team structure that focused on the team and releasing the obvious skills within rather than being lured to the “easier” path of the darker arts that they chose. I suspect smith must spend hours practicing. Good on him to let his skill do the talking. Two ashes matches and two performances to tell the grandkids about - aren’t we fortunate!
James Butcher
Roar Rookie
Steady on James, I thought I was supposed to be the touchy one. As I said, we’ll have to agree to disagree.
TheReds
Roar Rookie
Hazlewood is the best Aussie bowler who has the right balance of pace, line and lenght. The others have more pace like Starc but bowl too wide most of the time. I would have had labuschagne from the first test on. Khawaja is not up to level on pitches which have movement. Selecting the right players is an Aussie problem, see the wallabies selections problems in the last years.
Don Lampard
Guest
Even Broad had a dig at Smithy's head space - think Smithy is winning the mind games with this mob.
JamesH
Roar Guru
No it doesn't. The second half of my second paragraph points out that he averages over 40 and has four test tons. That's got nothing to do with hindsight. As for my subjective assessment of his technique, I was responding to a comment *criticising* his technique. Surely I'm allowed to do that?!? Or are people only allowed to offer a subjective opinion if they're making a case against Joe Burns? Burns was in reasonable touch in the warm ups, and plenty of people raised concerns about the number of lefties in the squad when it was first picked. I'm genuinely not sure where you're going with this.
RogerTA
Roar Rookie
Aww sweetie, is English your second language? Please name the “batsmen”, apart from Smith, who make your world 11.
Rohan
Roar Rookie
Steve Smith a wizard!! He's like Gandalf, come back after the fall (with Rabada and Ngidi as Balrog whips). Not sure all of that fellowship was worth the sacrifice though; definitely a couple of ignoble Boromirs in that (and still in this) team. Go SPeeDy!
Yawn of the Dead
Guest
Xxx
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yeah Lyons 350 and Broads 450 wickets are mediocre. Cummins is a mediocre world number one Test bowler.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Yet a further deterioration in umpiring standards. The Aussie fast bowlers all did it when Stokes was going off. It needs to be pulled up as it creates headaches for Captains over and above the extra balls and runs.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Poms were cautioned along with Pakistan in the WC for deliberately throwing the ball into the rough, but the booing isn't about that, it's sledging. Working a treat isn't it?
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Well put Paul. No excuse for what the two Aussie yobbos aimed at Archer, but the hypocrisy is astonishing as English crowds sledge the number one batsman in the world. We know where the Old Trafford management has drawn the line.