VIDEO | Steve Smith paddle-sweeps beach ball to boundary to make crowd go ballistic
'He is seeing the ball like a beach ball right now' is one of the more commonly used cliches in cricket when an in-form batsman is batting well. Today, Steve Smith took the statement to a whole new level, as the Aussie talisman entertained the fans by literally smacking a beach ball to the boundary.
When Stuart Broad sent Marcus Harris back to the hut in seventh over today, the curiosity and excitement levels amongst the fans went up at least a hundred levels, as they knew they were going to get a glimpse of the much-awaited battle between Steve Smith and Jofra Archer. And just like the fans, Archer too, knew the enormity of the occasion, as the speedster, who was bowling around the 80mph mark throughout the day, cranked his pace up to 87mph in his very first ball to Smith.
Joe Root & co thought that the bouncer Archer bowled at Lord's would play on the back of Smith's mind, but from the very moment the New South Welshman faced his first ball, it almost felt like Lord's never happened, as he looked as assured as ever, punishing the English bowlers through both his bat and his patience.
On the fourth ball of the 29th over, just as Archer was about to deliver the ball, wild winds started blowing in the ground, resulting in a beach ball somehow finding a way in. Soon, the winds took the beach ball to the pitch, specifically near the strikers' end, where Smith was standing. Seeing this, the Aussie decided to have some fun and as the ball approached him, he nonchalantly paddle-swept it towards the mid-wicket boundary, making the fans go wild in the process.
Was this the first time Smith got cheered by the English fans in this Ashes? Most definitely. We know one thing for sure though, he is indeed seeing the Dukes ball like a beach ball. Literally.
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