‘Classless’ Smith makes
The Australian cricket team has been labelled ‘‘classless’’ by the British media for the way the players have celebrated retaining the Ashes.
The reason for the fury is photos of Steve Smith celebrating on the pitch two hours after the series was won in Manchester, wearing glasses to mock England’s Jack Leach.
The Australian players were still in their whites and drinking beer when they returned to the field after night had set in at Old Trafford.
Nathan Lyon gave a speech to his team-mates, where he delivered a foul-mouthed rant about the media, which was followed by the team gathering in a circle.
Smith moved to the centre of the circle, wiped a pair of glasses similar in style to those worn by Jack Leach and put them on. He then pretended to bat left-handed, which is how Leach bats.
When England won the third test of the series in Leeds, Leach re-enacted his winning run during England’s celebrations.
The Sun reported that the Australian players were heard during their celebrations shouting ‘‘no ball’’ and ‘‘come back Smithy’’, referring to when Leach appeared to have taken the wicket of Smith in the first innings in Manchester, only for Smith to be called back because Leach had bowled a no ball.
The Australian players also chanted: ‘‘Who did we beat? England . . . How did we do it? Easy.’’
The ball-tampering scandal last year which led to Smith and David Warner both being suspended for a year was said to have highlighted a culture of arrogance within the team. In the aftermath of it, Cricket Australia insisted the players would clean up their act.
It appears as though standards have slipped, although the photographer from Getty Images who took the pictures of Smith, said he was mimicking a different player.
Ryan Pierse, the photographer, said Smith was imitating former Australian opener Chris Rogers – who also wears glasses and bats left-handed.
‘‘Bit of chat in the UK and Australian press this morning that Steve Smith was mocking Jack Leach last night,’’ Pierse tweeted.
‘‘The fact is Steve donned some glasses as a nod to the great Chris ‘Bucky’ Rogers.
‘‘Uncanny resemblance, wouldn’t you say!’’