Steve Smith’s bizarre Ashes request stuns cricket legend: ‘I’ve never seen that happen before’
Steve Smith was in full flow at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday, dazzling with some incredible shots but also raising a few eyebrows for some of his hilarious antics at the crease.
The 36-year-old batsman became the second greatest run-scorer in Ashes history on day three of the final Test, as he brought up a score of 129 not out, off 205 deliveries.
It was an imperious display, with Smith, who following suit of Joe Root and Travis Head, who had both previously carded big scores of 160 and 163 respectively during the match.
Smith partnered well with both Cameron Green and Beau Webster, with the middle-order batters helping Australia take a commanding 134-run lead and lump the pressure back on England’s bowlers, who struggled during the afternoon session.
Smith, who swiped away 16 boundaries on tuesday, is known for being incredibly twitchy at the crease.
And his iconic pre-shot routine was in full force today, with the New South Wales star repeatedly seen checking his pads, twisting his grip and grounding his bat before facing each ball.
Steve Smith (pictured) enjoyed an outstanding day at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday
The Aussie star also raised eyebrows for his fidgety behaviour at the crease, as the stand-in skipper brought up his 13th Ashes century
At one point, he appeared to duck out of the way of a bouncer from England’s Josh Tongue and bizarrely took a tumble inside his crease, rolling around on his back.
Later in the afternoon session, Jacob Bethell took the ball from captain Ben Stokes, and proceeded to bowl a couple of wides. Smith, at the striker’s end, saw the delivery pitch outside the tramlines, and signalled a ‘wide ball’ with his arms even before the umpire.
Smith, who is affectionately also called ‘Smudge’ by his team-mates, is known for his razor focus, having previously opened up on how he spends hours shadow batting in his room.
At one point during the day, he appeared to stop play because a lady was seen walking behind the bowler’s arm with two giant chocolate ice creams.
Another bizarre incident took place later in the session, that left England great Michael Vaughan stumped.
Smith had stepped out of his crease and beckoned to England bowler Brydon Carse, who had been standing at mid-off.
‘Carsey! Carsey!’ Smith said, waving his hands at the England star.
‘Can you just turn your glasses around? Your glasses? On the back?’
Smith (right) stopped multiple times during the innings due to distractions in the crowd, but even asked England’s Brydon Carse if he could take his sunglasses off the back of his head
Carse (pictured), who was standing at mid-off, was wearing his glasses on the back of his cap
Carse was quite a distance from Smith and had placed his futuristic sunglasses on the back of his cricket cap.
But it appeared the specs had been catching the glare of the sun and distracting Smith.
‘That’s very nice of Brydon to do so,’ Vaughan told Kayo Sports.
‘Don’t think there’s any regulation for the way you put your glasses? I’ve never seen that before in my life.
‘Brydon Carse should just put them on. I can’t believe he’s actually said: “Ok no problem”.
‘I can only imagine the late great Shane Warne at mid-off.
‘I don’t think he’d have done it.’
Mike Hussey added: ‘Expect the unexpected when Steve Smith’s in the middle.’
The Aussie star (pictured) would go on to score 129 runs not out, and on the way to that milestone, he would become the second-highest runs scorer in the history of the Ashes, behind Don Bradman
After play concluded, Smith said to Cricket Australia that if he’s being fidgety and asking people to move ‘it probably means I’m in a really good zone’
As Smith cemented his legacy at the SCG, the Aussie star was seen jumping and dancing around after playing each shot.
But for Smith, the unusual mannerisms show just how focused he is on scoring runs.
‘I dunno if I’m doing it,’ Smith told Cricket Australia after play had concluded on Tuesday. ‘When I’m doing all of those things, it probably means I’m in a really good zone.
‘So hopefully we can see a few more of them.’
Today, Smith scored his 37th ton in Test match cricket. It was his 13th century in an Ashes Test, putting him second behind Don Bradman, for the most centuries scored in Ashes history. It was also his fifth Test ton at his home ground, the SCG.
‘I just love batting here. It’s my home deck,’ Smith said.
‘I know the ground really well. When I get in here I really like batting here.
‘The pace of the wicket suits the way I play and I just love playing in front of this crowd.
‘It was nice batting out there, pretty good wicket. It was nice to come off the back of a pretty good innings from Travis Head. He played beautifully.’
It was an exceptional performance by the stand-in Australian skipper, who will return to open the batting for Australia tomorrow morning alongside Webster.
