TGIF! Steve Smith, back to 2013, and another case of proving people wrong.
Steven Peter Devereux Smith has been, and remains, a generational batsman.
Smith does not stand alone in this category; however, you might question the legitimacy of his right to be there. I'm not disputing his record here, which is outstanding, but rather the path that led him to where he is today.
Almost ten years hence, and using today’s parlance in cricket terms, Smith might have been described as non-binary.
Australia’s 2013 Ashes tour of England had been one-way traffic in the hosts favour, England lead 3-0 going into the last Test at The Oval.
Smith had endured an indifferent series, with a double failure at Lords in a heavy Australian loss being the worst of it, although there were half-centuries in Nottingham and Manchester.
I say non-binary due to his inability to identify as a stand-alone batsman, a bowling all rounder, a leg spinner, or a batting all rounder. Smith had cricket folk scratching their heads.
The Oval, which historically hosts the last Test of the English summer, is a graveyard for English players who play a solitary Test match.
In most cases, the summer series was already lost, the county player will have been in commanding form, and yes, their reward is a Test call-up at the Oval. So much so that I believe there was, and probably still is, an annual dinner for the members of this exclusive club.
Nonetheless, Smith came to The Oval knowing that his non-binary tendencies needed to be addressed—in a cricket sense, that is.
The rest is history up to now and beyond. I was at the Oval—not invited to the aforementioned dinner, I might add—and filed the report below for Melbourne's BackpageLead. I hope you enjoy the read.
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SMITH MAKES HIS MARK WITH TON-UP TROTT SHOT
August 23, 2013
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 unbeaten 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.
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And to Indore on Day Three...
Steve Smith has always revelled in proving people wrong, especially members of the Australian press—or any press for that matter!
Earlier in this topsy-turvy Test, a reader of SpeakingNick had queried that Smith’s degenerative back condition might be hampering his close-to-the-wicket catching. It was nothing more than a question asked of Smith, and my god, how the churlish Smith responded!
A cohort of the interviewer is now attributing Australia’s soon-to-be victory in the direction of his colleague, who will remain anonymous!
If you haven’t seen Smith’s incredible catch low to the ground at leg slip to remove Cheteshwar Pujara, take a look here.
This will be Smith’s 21st win from 37 matches as captain.
Happy Friday everyone, and have a great weekend.
PS. I’ve never been able to work out the ‘Devereux’ bit in Smith’s name!
