Watch: Steve Smith‘s reaction to Harry Brook’s dismissal in the first innings of the first Ashes Test match at Edgbaston has been likened to Ollie Robinson’s send-off of Usman Khawaja. But were the two reactions really similar?
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Robinson has come into the firing line of pundits and viewers, especially those from Australia, after his send-off of Khawaja on day three of the first Ashes Test match.
Khawaja, who was batting beautifully, was undone by a shrewd bit of planning from Ben Stokes and Robinson. They employed a strange-looking ring of six fielders in front of the wicket tahat forced Khawaja to try something different to break the shackles. In the process, he yorked himself and was bowled.
Robinson, ecstatic upon the coming together of a plan and upon dismissing the centurion, gave him a send-off and mouthed what seemed like”f*** off, you f***ing p***k”, although none of it was audible.
Here’s how Usman Khawaja’s innings came to an end.#Ashes2023pic.twitter.com/asyqiezFeJ
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 18, 2023
This reaction has drawn the ire of the Australian media, but Robinson has come out in self-defence, saying that this is all “part of the theatre of the Ashes“.
In response to the criticism that Robinson has received, there have been some comments and suggestions that Smith’s reaction to Brook’s weird dismissal on Day One of the first Ashes Test was comparable to that of Robinson’s.
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Brook was extremely unlucky in the way he got out in the first innings as the ball lobbed high up off his thigh pad only to come down and hit him on his back leg and crash into his stumps.
Smith, who was standing at first slip as he always does to Nathan Lyon, was one of the first ones to have spotted where the ball went. He waited eagerly for the ball to land and roll back into the stumps. Once that happened, he broke out in celebration.
While Smith was in close proximity to Brook, and clapped while looking towards his direction, no other offensive gesture or word were either visible or audible.
As of now, neither Smith nor Robinson has been found guilty of breaching the ICC’s Code of Conduct for their reactions. However, Robinson’s reaction is more likely to fall under a Level 1 offence and he may be booked in the next couple of days.
Watch Steve Smith’s reaction to Harry Brook’s wicket which has been compared to Robinson’s Khawaja send-off:
A freak dismissal.
Live clips/Scorecard: https://t.co/TZMO0eJDwY pic.twitter.com/cIUQaANJ2x
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 16, 2023
