LONDON: Australia batsman Steve Smith just missed his third Ashes hundred in as many innings after returning following a sickening blow to the neck from a Jofra Archer bouncer on the fourth day of the second Test against England at Lord’s on Saturday.
Smith’s 92 was the centrepiece of Australia’s 250 all out in reply to England’s first innings 258. The star batsman had made 80 when he was felled by a bouncer from World Cup-winner Archer, making his Test debut, timed at 92.4 mph.
The ball struck him on the side of the neck and head.
Smith, fell face forward onto the ground. He was wearing a helmet without the additional neck protection that was introduced following the death of Phillip Hughes after his former Australia team-mate was hit by a bouncer in a 2014 domestic Sheffield Shield match in Sydney. Smith, who had marked his comeback Test following a 12-month ball-tampering ban, with innings of 144 and 142 in Australia’s 251-run win in the series opener at Edgbaston last week that put the tourists 1-0 up in the five-match series, received several minutes of on-field treatment involving both teams’ medical staff. He got to his feet but eventually retired hurt, with Smith receiving a generous round of applause as he walked back into the pavilion. Australia were then 203-6. Archer had previously struck Smith, then on 70, on his unprotected forearm with another bouncer during a fiery eight-over spell that cost 31 runs. Smith resumed his innings as soon as he could when Peter Siddle’s exit left Australia 218-7 after he had been off the field for 46 minutes.
From the second and third balls he faced on his return, Smith hit two fours off Chris Woakes — a slammed shot over mid-on followed by a backfoot drive through the covers. But on 92, facing his ninth ball, Smith shouldered arms to a Woakes delivery that nipped back and was plumb lbw to leave Australia 234-8. In total, he faced 161 balls including 14 fours. Smith turned towards the pavilion, signalling that he was reviewing umpire Chris Gaffaney’s decision almost as an after-thought before replays confirmed his dismissal. This series, the first of the ICC’s new World Test Championship, has seen the introduction of concussion protocols designed to allow injured batsmen to be replaced by a substitute — previously restricted to fielding duty alone. But an Australia team spokesman insisted Smith’s health had not been put at undue risk by letting him return to the middle.
England 1st Innings 258 (R Burns 53, J Bairstow 52; J Hazlewood 3-58, P Cummins 3-61, N Lyon 3-68)
Australia 1st Innings (overnight: 80-4)
C. Bancroft lbw b Archer 13
D. Warner b Broad 3
U. Khawaja c Bairstow b Woakes 36
S. Smith lbw b Woakes 92
T. Head lbw b Broad 7
M. Wade c Burns b Broad 6
T. Paine c Buttler b Archer 23
P. Cummins c Bairstow b Broad 20
P. Siddle c Bairstow b Woakes 9
N. Lyon lbw b Leach 6
J. Hazlewood not out 3
Extras (b17, lb12, nb1, w2) 32
Total: (all out, 94.3 overs, 442 mins) 250
Bowling: Broad 27.3-7-65-4 (1w); Archer 29-11-59-2 (1nb, 1w); Woakes 19-6-61-3; Stokes 8-1-17-0; Leach 11-3-19-1.
Toss: Australia
Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak), Chris Gaffaney (NZ)
TV umpire: Joel Wilson (WI)
Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL).