Watch: There was a tense moment on Day 2 of the World Test Championship Final at The Kia Oval today (June 9), with Steve Smith backing away as Mohammed Siraj neared his delivery stride, forcing the frustrated seamer to throw the ball towards the stumps and exchange a few heated words with the batter.
Australia started Day 2 of the World Test Championship Final in a comfortable position at 327-3. Smith was not out overnight on 95 and was gifted two half-volleys on the pads by Siraj in the first two balls he faced today (June 8).
He duly dispatched them for boundaries and reached his 31st Test hundred, adding to the agony of the Indian camp, who had been frustrated all day on Day 1 of the WTC Final by the pair of Smith and Travis Head.
Smith then backed away at the last moment as Siraj ran in to bowl the fourth ball of the over. He was perhaps distracted by the movement of the spidercam which forced him to pull out of the delivery. However, having just been hit for two consecutive boundaries in his first over of the day, it didn’t go down well with Siraj, who is anyway considered to be an old-school, hot-headed fast bowler.
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Siraj continued in the momentum of his run-up and threw the ball towards the stumps, leading to a surprised reaction from Smith, who then started gesturing towards the spidercam. A few words were exchanged by Siraj, who was naturally charged up after the incident. He then finished the over with three good deliveries, two of which beat Smith, one on the inside edge and one on the outside.
Smith was eventually dismissed for 121 by Shardul Thakur with his first ball of the day.
Watch a frustrated Siraj throw the ball towards the stumps as Smith backs out late
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