Grin and tonic for Steve Smith

Going into his 100th Test, Australia’s star batsman Steve insists he’ll continue to play his game without worrying about taunts; McCullum believes England can still come back at Headingley

Steve Smith, stripped of the Australia captaincy and given a year-long ban for his part in the Sandpapergate incident, now heads into his 100th Test following a fine hundred at Lord’s. 

Long the target for taunts from English crowds the star batsman insisted: “It doesn’t bother me. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I know the person I am, I know how I want to go about things. I am out here playing my game and for my country.” 

England head coach Brendon McCullum. Pics/Getty Images

Australia can expect to face a fired-up England and a furious crowd in the third Ashes Test at Headingley starting Thursday as the row over Jonny Bairstow’s divisive dismissal at Lord’s rumbles on. 

Controversial series

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese have even traded verbal bouncers over the issue, which started when Jonny Bairstow was given out stumped by opposing wicketkeeper Alex Carey during what the England batsman thought was a break in play. 

Bairstow’s exit, in a match Australia won by 43 runs to go 2-0 up in the five-match Ashes despite England captain Ben Stokes’s stunning 155, sparked a chorus of boos at a normally sedate Lord’s and led to three MCC members being suspended for allegedly abusing visiting players in the pavilion. 

Also Read: Kane Williamson surges to top of Test rankings, Steve Smith slips to second

To add fuel to fire, the third Test is taking place at Bairstow’s Yorkshire home ground, with increased security measures expected at Headingley—traditionally one of English cricket’s most raucous venues. Many within the Australian game have been stunned by the vehemence of English reaction to a legitimate dismissal and the attempts to link it to their side’s Sandpapergate ball-tampering controversy in South Africa five years ago. 

Pat Cummins, bidding to become the first Australia skipper in 22 years to win an Ashes series in England, said the fall-out from Bairstow’s dismissal could galvanise the tourists as much as the home team. 

“These kind of moments can really strengthen a side,” he said. “He [Carey] has been fantastic behind the wickets. We’ll look after him.” 

Only an Australia side inspired by batting great Don Bradman have come from 2-0 down to win a Test series, taking the 1936-37 Ashes 3-2. However, the corresponding Headingley Ashes clash four years ago saw Stokes’s stunning unbeaten hundred guide England to a remarkable one-wicket win and coach Brendon McCullum said: “We believe that we can still come back in this series.”

England’s bowling worry

Yet for all the angst over Bairstow’s exit, England’s poor position owes more to their failure to exploit helpful bowling conditions after winning the toss at Lord’s and a first-innings collapse from 188-1 to 325 all out that featured several reckless shots. 

Veteran England spearhead James Anderson, Test cricket’s most successful pace bowler, has taken just three wickets. 

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