Ashes 2019 | Steve Smith wanted to get on the honours board, says Justin Langer
Justin Langer revealed that Steven Smith walked out to bat again in the Lord's Test because he wanted the chance to make a century at the home of cricket. Smith walked out unbeaten on 80 at the fall of Peter Siddle’s wicket, but could only add 12 more runs before being dismissed by Chris Woakes.
When on 70, Smith received his first blow by Archer, a flush on the elbow that left a bulge resembling the shape of the ball that hit him. Ten runs later, he was struck on the neck, leaving him prostrate on the ground. All 28,000 spectators in the stadium and everyone following the game live on television or via the internet, held their breath as their minds raced back five years to Phil Hughes’ death from a similar incident.
Although it took some time for Smith to regather himself, he was forced to withdraw by the team doctor Richard Saw for precautionary concussion testing. The home of cricket stood as one to applaud the champion batsman. Until, of course, less than ten overs later when Smith re-emerged – this time, only half the audience showed their appreciation, the rest resorted back to the primary English way of booing.
"As soon as he got up in the medical room, it was like 'Nah I'm going okay', then he had the concussion testing and the doctor came through and said 'he's passed all that and he's pretty good'. I was saying 'mate are you sure you're okay', these are like my sons right, so you're never going to put them in harm's way, even though you're always in harm's way with Test cricket. But he's going 'mate, I've got to get out there, I can't get on the honour board unless I'm out batting'. All he was worried about was that he wasn't going to be able to play his forward defence because it was hurting with his top hand grip,” Langer was quoted saying by ESPNCricinfo.
"He wouldn't have gone out there unless we thought [he was okay]. I asked him behind closed doors two or three times, I asked him in front of the group, he just goes 'all good, all good coach, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go'. What else do you do? The medicos cleared him, he wanted to get out there, we were looking after him, and he said 'honestly I'm ready to go, my arm's a bit sore'. That's why he went out there," he said.
Quite visibly, the dressing room was shaken up by the episode that had unfolded before their eyes. Four of the Australian squad – Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, and Travis Head – were at the SCG, in November 2014, when Hughes collapsed to never wake up again, after being hit in a similar part of the neck. Langer admitted that the moment will continue to linger at the back of Smith’s mind.
"I can only go from experience. When you get hit, it's always in the back of your mind, no doubt. Any batsman who tells you it's not is a liar. But he is also the sort of person who will do everything from now until the next time he bats, whether mentally or visualising or practising, to be right. He loves batting, we saw that masterclass the other day - no one is going to stop him batting, so he'll practise it, work it out, and hopefully he'll get back into it,” Langer added.