Smith makes his mark with ton-up Trott shot

August 23, 2013. Backpagelead, Melbourne

A typically unconventional route was taken by Steve Smith to the nirvana of a maiden Test hundred last night.

Negotiating his way through the nineties, Smith decided – after an over of observation – that it was time to take the gentle medium pace of Jonathan Trott ‘downtown’.

In cricket-speak, ‘downtown’ is clearing the rope back over the bowler’s head, a shot seen often at practice, not so often when a young man is in sight of his first Test ton.

And ‘downtown’ he went, a full flow of Smith’s blade sending the red Duke sailing over long on and with it the coming of age for a player so long on the periphery. He is now perfectly suited to his place in this rapidly developing Australian Test batting order.

How different his approach was to that of Rogers in Durham. The gnarly left-handed opener elected for the tortoise, Smith chose to be the hare. In the end they are both winners in their own way, securing spots for the second half of this not so one-sided Ashes double-header.

Smith has been wrongly maligned in Australian cricket circles. Much of the indifference stems from the colour of his state cap, New South Wales being an easy target for opposing states and supporters because they’re often thought to have the inside run when it comes to national selection.

The fact is they have been the most proactive state in terms of developing and playing young talent, and Smith is a beneficiary of that policy.

He bats some, bowls some, and catches some. Yesterday he ticked off the batting side of the equation, now for the rest.

Smith has been one of just six Australian players to have played all five Tests in this series, showing the faith that the current hierarchy has in him.

Smith’s innings was made up of two entirely different parts. On day one, he came to the crease with the total, and Shane Watson, rollicking along, allowing him to play the support role. Support he did, and with a dash of his own free wheeling stroke play he made it through to stumps unbteaten on 66.

The early rain on day two, which resulted in a delayed start, changed the nature of the pitch. The biscuit dry strip had changed in colour and represented much more of a challenge to the batting side. Conventional swing, coupled with seam movement, made batting difficult. Watchfulness was the order of the day. Responsibility for a healthy first innings score for the visiting side sat squarely with Smith.

Yet he maturely piloted the ship through the early stages knowing that behind James Anderson and Stuart Broad lay the calmer waters of Chris Woakes and the twirlers.

When he looks back at this innings, Smith will see attributes that should serve him well through his career. He batted either side of the second new ball, played a support role when needed, blunted the opposition’s bowling guns when required, then when in sight of his maiden hundred he choose to twist rather than stick.

I get the impression that Steve Smith has been schooled on the streets of life and not in the classrooms of the eastern suburbs of Sydney. If you were to play golf against him you would be well served asking for a handicap certificate before deciding on the round’s wager. My guess is he plays all sports well, and would have enjoyed much success on the many arenas he participated in as a young man.

The England batting coach Graham Gooch had no hesitation in telling me during the Durham Test that Smith was potentially the best player, outside of Michael Clarke, in the Australian dressing room. Without crowding the populous hindsight community, I agree. And would go one step further to say he is a potential leader in Australian cricket.

Next time you watch Smith and Clarke at the crease, tell me they are not batting brothers: mischievous, impish and terribly annoying. Perhaps the current captain should take his batting brother under his wing and prepare him for what may lay ahead.

Some batting, some bowling, some catching and maybe some coin tossing. Well played Steven Smith.