Smith’s desire back in big way

RUSSELL GOULD STEVE Smith has revealed he fell out of love with cricket six months ago as the depth of his removal from the game hit home.

Speaking after his stunning 144 on day one of the First Ashes Test at Edgbaston Smith said he thought he would never play the game again.

He had plunged into a dark place outside the cricket bubble – denied the basic pleasure of batting, and hitting the thousands of balls – and he hit a drastic crossroad after undergoing elbow surgery

“There were times throughout the last 15 months where I didn’t know if I was ever going to play cricket again,” Smith said. “I lost a bit of love for it at one point, particularly when I had my elbow operation.

“And it was really bizarre, it was the day I got the brace off my elbow I found a love for it again. I don’t know what it was, it was like a trigger that said, ‘I’m ready to go again, I want to play’.

“And I wanted to go out and play for Australia and make people proud, and do what I love doing.

“I have never had those feelings before. I didn’t have a great sort of love for the game and it was there for a little while.

“Fortunately that love has come back. I am really grateful to be in this position, playing for Australia again and doing what I love.”

When he reached triple figures at Edgbaston in incredibly trying circumstances the boos from the unwelcoming English crowd matched the cheers.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan described the knock as “one of the alltime outstanding Test innings”, noting that the context of it being his first day of Test cricket since being banned for his role in the ugly ball tampering affair added another layer to its quality.

“To do that in his first innings back in Test cricket is remarkable. Sometimes you have to admire greatness,” Vaughan tweeted.

At one point England threw up their hands at the thought of getting Smith out, raising the white flag and banishing all fielders to the boundary.

“I had everyone on the boundary and he still hit me for four at one stage. He has played beautifully, there’s no doubt about that,” said Stuart Broad.

It was a captain’s knock, even though he’s not the captain any more.

But not having the “armband” as Smith called it, doesn’t reduce his role for the team.