Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has criticised England fans for booing Steve Smith after he was struck by a Jofra Archer bouncer on day four of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.
The No.4 batsman retired hurt after being struck on the neck by a 92mph delivery from the impressive debutant, but returned to complete his innings after the fall of the next wicket.
The former Test captain was later ruled out of the remainder of the Test with onset concussion.
While Smith gained many plaudits throughout the Test, there were jeers from some quarters – a common sight since his return from a 12-month ban for his role in the ball-tampering affair in 2018.
“A draw for the second Test but it was a total Ashes foul for the crowd at Lord’s to boo Steve Smith,” Morrison wrote on Facebook. “His performance on the pitch during his return to Test-match cricket in the UK demands nothing other than respect.
“He’s a champion and has handled the events of the past year with a real humility. I’m extremely proud of Steve Smith, and it’s not just because he comes from the Shire,” a nod to the region of Sydney where both Smith and Morrison grew up.
“The crowd could learn a thing or two from Smith and I look forward to him answering his hecklers with bat and ball in hand to bring home the Ashes,” the Prime Minister concluded.
Two Tests into the 2019 Ashes series, Steve Smith has dominated discussion. @ajarrodkimber looks back at the dramatic sequence of events so far.#Ashes https://t.co/rfIirmvmTW
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) August 19, 2019
Elsewhere, Cricket Australia’s sports medicine manager, Alex Kountouris, said the medical team were right to allow Smith to return to the field, and that it’s important not to overreact to players being struck on the head.
Cricket Australia said a “precautionary scan” on Smith’s neck on Sunday cleared him of any structural damage, and he “will continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis”.
