Ashes | Twitter groans as Jamie Smith lives charmed life with no-ball dismissal followed by lucky escape

England bounced back after two early setbacks on Day 2 of the fifth Ashes Test at Sydney Cricket Ground with a 96-run stand between centurion Joe Root and the young Jamie Smith to set their eyes again on a 400-plus first innings score. The latter struck 46 runs laced with six boundaries and a maximum before falling victim in absurd fashion to Marnus Labuschagne at the stroke of Lunch, but it could have all gone wrong for the Surrey wicket-keeper batter much earlier had Lady Fortune sided with the hosts.

Smith was batting on 22 when Cameron Green came on to bowl his 11th over of the innings, having been lacklustre up to the point with 60 runs conceded at run-a-ball. The West Australian seemed to go awry again when he pitched his first attempt to Smith full and wide, only for the youngster to chip it straight to short cover for the simplest of catches amidst ecstatic celebrations in the Aussie camp. However, just as he was walking off, the umpires asked him to hold his ground for a front foot check which came out in his favour, and an extended arm from Chris Gaffaney confirmed a second life for Smith much to the dismay of Green. Nevertheless, the quick returned to his mark and hit the length on a channel, to which Smith responded with a wild heave and could only manage a thick outside edge. The Kookaburra seemed destined to end up in Aussie hands but in a bizarre moment of miscommunication, neither Alex Carey nor Beau Webster at first slip made the required dive as thee red cherry split the gap between them perfectly to race away for four.

Skipper Steve Smith, stood at second slip, could not believe what he had witnessed as he ground his teeth to aptly mirror Twitterati's reaction.

Lucky!

Yeah!

Dissapointed!

Very unlucky!

Yes!

Haha!

True!

Well played!

150!

On fire!