Smith pledges to keep up the Aussie barrage
The host captain plans more bouncers and on-pitch verbals to unsettle England
Similar as the two rival captains are in this Ashes series – the sons of cricket-mad fathers, the best batsmen of their respective countries, fighting head-to-head at No 4 – a critical difference is that Steve Smith has spent almost three years in the job, while Joe Root led England for the first time in July.
From his weaker position – junior in experience, yet to make a century in this series, and 1-0 down after the 10-wicket defeat at Brisbane – Root has to lead a charge uphill at Australia’s well-fortified encampment, commanded by an even more confident Smith after his match-winning unbeaten 141 at the Gabba.
If an Ashes campaign was a military one, it is barely conceivable that a force in England’s position could seize the heights. England’s cavalry are slower. Their morale has been damaged by the uncertainty surrounding Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes, although a siege mentality can work well for a while.
And Australia know the terrain better than England because this second Ashes Test will be their third day-nighter at Adelaide Oval, where they have two exceptional marksmen in Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
Australia also possess the heavy artillery, which Smith said yesterday he would continue to use against England. “Our wickets are traditionally a little bit quicker and bouncier, so it was nice we were able to get a few of their batters out that way,” Smith said about England in Brisbane.
“I think it’s no secret how we’re going to bowl to the tail. That worked pretty well for us too. I dare say we’re going to continue to bowl a fair few bouncers.”
Two items of fuel for those who believe every Australian move is part of a conspiracy: one was that Smith gave a separate press conference yesterday for the UK written press alone, because his words on the eve of a Test would come too late for British newspapers; and when he attended the first of these conferences, at teatime in his team’s hotel, he wore a Cricket Australia shirt with turquoise shoulders, the same colour as his eyes – as if they had been coordinated.
Root, at his press conference earlier in the day, had agreed with the suggestion that the sight of Smith laughing, when Cameron Bancroft described the butt by Bairstow, had overstepped the mark. This was “something you expect when you come here now” and “if that’s not motivation to the players I don’t know what is”.
Smith’s defence was: “I couldn’t help myself, I thought it was hilarious [a feeling which seemed unanimous in the media centre at the Gabba]. If they [England] want to use it as some kind of motivation, then go for it.”
Smith did not give the Stokes pot a stir, but he did manage to turn the subject round so he could flick it through midwicket for four. “It doesn’t bother us either way. It’s not our decision. We need to go about our business as usual. We’ll see where that ends up. He’s another left-hander that Nathan Lyon could bowl to. He’s bowling pretty well and looks like he’s going to get all left-handers out at the moment.”
Australia’s captain plugged the line that the Adelaide Oval pitch would quicken up under lights, though not to the same extent as their head coach Darren Lehmann, who had said that at night it turned into the quickest in Australia.
Given that the pitch is much paler than it was for England’s practice game, that would be some nocturnal transformation – and the storms that broke yesterday evening can only slow the pitch down.
Smith then saw a nice question coming his way – about dismissing Root lbw twice at the Gabba – used his feet to come down the pitch and drove it for four. His statement that Root had a technical flaw in that department – one which Australia would look to “play on” – was pointed in the extreme.
Smith is clearly enjoying the verbal jousting in this series, something he made no secret of yesterday. “It’s about whatever gets individuals into the contest best,” said the Australian when asked if he enjoyed ‘hard cricket’.
“Whether that’s getting into a verbal stoush with another player, if that brings the best out of you then go for it.
“But if you’re not the sort of guy who says anything,
Download the second of our series of podcasts reliving epic Ashes battles as Geoffrey Boycott and Ian Chappell discuss one of England’s greatest victories in Australia – Sydney 1971. Paul Hayward and Scyld Berry also take part. then go for that too,” Smith continued.
England nevertheless seem up for this contest or uphill charge. Root is learning fast. “I feel in such a short space of time on and off the field I have been shown every side of the job. So in that respect moving forward I should be quite experienced quite quickly,” he said.
Root also has a highly seasoned general alongside him in Paul Collingwood who, as fielding coach, was responsible for the one department where England beat Australia in Brisbane, dropping no chance whereas the hosts spilt three. Collingwood conducted another sharp fielding session yesterday afternoon – but one feature of a daynighter here is the row of lights along the roof of the stands, much lower than the floodlights, which will make a skier very testing.
Root also has his predecessor alongside him, whereas Smith has no such senior adviser. And if Alastair Cook was to make a matchwinning hundred in Adelaide, he could name his retirement date whenever he wanted.