Steve Smith has drawn first blood in his county championship batting duel against his Aussie pal Marnus Labuschagne – but both will have been concerned by the form of a key English Ashes rival Ollie Robinson.
Smith, whose home debut for Sussex drew in the crowds at Hove on Thursday, didn’t let them down as he made an assured unbeaten 68 not out by the close to put the hosts in a commanding position after the opening day against Glamorgan.
But Smith, who’s already quickly learned about the skill of his Sussex teammate Robinson in practice at the south coast county, had earlier been forced to watch, impressed again, as his Test teammate Labuschagne was trapped lbw for just one by the very first ball he faced from the paceman.
Robinson celebrated with gusto after sending his Ashes opponent on his way.
Smith eventually joined the raucous team huddle to congratulate Robinson on dismissing his Aussie protege.
With Ashes omens thick on the ground at the Sussex seaside, Glamorgan allrounder Michael Neser also staked another claim to join the Australia party in England following two more sharp wickets, including the dismissal for a duck of Sussex’s Indian rock Cheteshwar Pujara.
Neser, who took a hat-trick and a career-best seven-wicket haul against Yorkshire before then shining with the bat against Worcestershire, this time snared Pujara, set to be a key figure for his country in the World Test Championship final, leg before.
Robinson, who bowled teammate Smith during his practice session at Hove which had left the Australian muttering it “wasn’t ideal”, had earlier picked another good time to make a point, this time getting both Labuschagne and Neser out lbw.
Labuschagne, who’d scored 341 in his last four knocks and was beginning to tick along quite ominously in county warm-ups, couldn’t cope with Robinson’s first delivery, which nipped back, kept a bit low and had him rapped straight in front.
It was part of another impressive spell during which Robinson’s 4-29 off four overs – including the wicket of Neser for just two – was largely responsible for skittling Glamorgan for just 123 after they had been inserted.
In response, Smith knuckled down to score his first half-century for Sussex after Pujara had been dismissed at 3-83 with Neser looking threatening with his 2-51.
Smith enjoyed more than three hours at the crease in a judicious knock that featured nine boundaries off the 126 balls he faced, while he also enjoyed an unbroken 90 partnership with impressive English teenage hope James Coles, who’ll be thankful for the education at 50 not out by the close.
Steve Smith hits a boundary off Marnus Labuschagne. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
A welcome 47th first-class century looks Smith’s for the taking on Friday when he resumes with his side 4-221.
He’s had a lean spell by his standards, not even managing a half-century in India in both the Tests and ODIs, and having only previously compiled 33 in his first two county knocks.
With more than 2000 fans turning out to watch, there was even an enjoyable little cameo between the two Aussie batting stars in the last few overs of the day as Labuschagne, trying to nick the big wicket of his mate, indulged in a bit of banter with Smith.
To no avail, as it turned out, with Smith clocking the leg-spinner for a boundary off the penultimate ball.
Broad at it again with new Aussie song
Stuart Broad has continued his pre-Ashes trolling campaign of the Aussies by teaming up with the Barmy Army to promote a new song for the series.
As part of a promotion with Marmite, he is seen in the video supposedly listening to new options for songs that the Army will sing when he’s in action during the Ashes.
Eventually, he settles on a ditty to the tune of Abba’s Voulez Vous which contains lyrics such as “When Warner’s nicking off to slip, how’s that” and “He’ll hit Garry for six, have that”.
Vaughan says Poms can overcome Jofra absence
Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes the home side can regain the Ashes even without pace spearhead Jofra Archer.
The absence of Archer for the rest of the northern summer due to his ongoing elbow injury is a huge setback for Ben Stokes’ side but Vaughan is confident they can translate their Bazball style into Ashes success.
England are not going to win the Ashes 5-0 the way they play, but they can win 3-2,” he wrote in the UK Telegraph.
“I love this expansive game and I wake up on a Test mornings more excited than ever because of the way England play, but they have to keep buying into it against Australia and not be distracted by the Ashes pressure. If they lose the first Test, don’t doubt it. It is the way you play. Go harder.”
Vaughan added that the pace attack is his main concern with injury clouds over a few of their key bowlers.
“My concern is pace and always has been with English cricket. We generally play well when we have a quick bowler in our side.
“Wood is such an important figure now. And Stokes. Can he bowl? We are looking at an England side that could go into the first Ashes Test with Robinson, who has had an injection in his back, Stokes, who is on one leg and Anderson, who has a groin problem.
“Broad has been OK with injuries but is not getting any younger and Woakes is the same. It is a bowling attack with injury records, so it is important they get lots of runs on the board.”
Jofra Archer celebrates taking the wicket of Usman Khawaja in 2019. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Ashes countdown: Days to go …
28
The number of Ashes Tests that David Warner has played. Whether the veteran opener adds to that tally is a source of great debate but since his debut in 2013, he has scored 1888 runs at 38.53, including three centuries but none in England.
On This Day …
The original Bazballer was born in 1874. England all-rounder Gilbert Jessop, known as The Croucher due to the unusual way he stood at the wicket, was famous for his quick-scoring exploits.
In the 1902 Ashes Test at The Oval with England chasing 273 for victory, he rescued them from 5-48 with a whirlwind 104 out of the next 139 runs in 75 minutes to propel the home team to a thrilling one-run win. He lofted the Aussie bowling onto the roof of the pavilion twice in what turned out to be his only Test ton.
with AAP
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