The Magellan Ashes series is right at our heels. The now-experienced Australian cricketer Steve Smith is set to enter the crucible, prepared to face an intimidating England pace attack. Indeed, Smith has an astonishing record of 3,417 runs in 37 Tests against England at a sensational average of 56.01. He has turbocharged himself into a key cog in Australia’s machine. His track record includes 12 centuries against the English, making him a focal point for the opposition in the forthcoming series.
This time around, the hype surrounding the Ashes is at an all-time high. Purely by coincidence, fans still vividly recall when England’s Jofra Archer hit Smith in the helmet with a bouncer in the 2019 series. The injury caused Smith to retire from the field of play. As a consequence, Marnus Labuschagne was to become cricket’s first-ever concussion substitute. Smith, however, is looking forward to the challenging series just around the corner. Plus he’s had to contend with advance warnings to expect Bodyline-style bowling from England’s fast bowlers.
Here’s what former England fast bowler Steven Finn had to say on the subject. In addition, he feels when England captain Ben Stokes is at his best, he’s at his best when he has something to prove. This mentality can lead the team to err on the side of aggressiveness. It harkens back to old chevron enforcement tactics meant to rattle the cages of important decision-makers such as Smith. Finn added, “Stokes is a player that really comes into his own when he’s got something to prove. There are just certain players you absolutely do not want to anger, because it brings out the best in them and the overwhelming desire to destroy. He falls into that category.”
Simon Katich, a former Australian opener, echoed these sentiments, predicting that England will deploy strategies similar to those used successfully by New Zealand against Smith in previous encounters. He noted, “I hate to use the word ‘Bodyline‘ but that’s exactly what it was, really.” Katich pointed out that Neil Wagner’s execution of this style for New Zealand could serve as a template for England’s approach.
As Smith and his fellow Stars gear up to compete against Canada in the gold-medal series championship, they know what stands before them. Ollie Robinson, who has previously fallen out of favor with the current management after losing his central contract, appears eager to make an impact. He practiced bowling at Smith in the nets in Sydney last Thursday, potentially signaling England’s intent to target the Australian batsman from the very beginning.
While Smith averages 41.33 in three matches this season, experts believe he possesses the resilience to withstand England’s aggressive tactics. Mitchell Johnson, a former Australian fast bowler, expressed confidence that Australia’s batters, including Smith, will not be intimidated by the pace attack.
In the lead up to the Ashes, Johnson’s Smith-like concentration level is definitely the desired precedent. On rush attempts to his side, opponents have elevated their YPC across nearly a full yard from 4.18 yards per attempt the year before. He will be up against an England team that will be more than happy to ruffle his feathers. So, of course, all eyes will be on his response to the expected Bodyline tactics.
“They will have seen what New Zealand did to Steve Smith a few years ago so successfully in Australia,” – Simon Katich
The build-up to the next Ashes series is sure to be competitive, combative, high-pressure Test cricket that the Ashes should be about. As both teams prepare for battle, it remains to be seen how effective England’s strategy will be against one of cricket’s premier batsmen. Smith’s talent to adjust and flourish when the heat is on will ultimately decide who gets to walk away from this epic in-state rivalry with bragging rights.
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