It just looked ugly.
Steve Smith’s lbw dismissal to Kemar Roach, having shuffled so far across that both leg and middle stumps were visible, was the kind of moment that would give any cricketer pause to think about their future.
When added to the fact that he has only just moved up to open the batting after lobbying strongly for the chance to replace David Warner when the left-hander retired at the end of the SCG Test, that thinking won’t just be confined to Smith alone.
Another slow walk from the crease for Smith.Credit: Getty Images
In the days and weeks prior to the announcement of Australia’s Test squad to face the West Indies, the common question raised by those sceptical about moving Smith up to open was this: what happens if it doesn’t go well?
Famously precise, even wilful, about his batting position and way of doing things, Smith will have to fight the urge to want to change after his early exits at the hands of Roach and Shamar Joseph. The brand-new ball, even in the hands of the West Indian attack, is more challenging than the one Smith has become used to facing at four.
Well-informed figures around the team were willing to suggest that a couple of low scores or awkward dismissals might have Smith wanting to switch back down the order – a scenario that the selection chair George Bailey tried to knock on the head when naming the team.
“That’s been part of the discussions with Steve,” Bailey said. “He’s keen for this to be a significant chapter in his career. For all intents and purposes, this is where Steve wants to stay. No, it’s not [an experiment].”
During the World Cup, captain Pat Cummins needed to use all of his leadership skill to convince Smith that number four was where he needed to bat for the team to have the best chance of lifting the trophy, given Mitchell Marsh’s powerful presence at three. Smith was far from pleased, but eventually accepted the demotion.
Smith’s ugly Gabba exit will test his and the selectors’ resolve
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26.01.2024
It just looked ugly.
Steve Smith’s lbw dismissal to Kemar Roach, having shuffled so far across that both leg and middle stumps were visible, was the kind of moment that would give any cricketer pause to think about their future.
When added to the fact that he has only just moved up to open the batting after lobbying strongly for the chance to replace David Warner when the left-hander retired at the end of the SCG Test, that thinking won’t just be confined to Smith........
© The Sydney Morning Herald
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