Steve Smith is currently playing for Welsh Fire as part of this year’s Hundred. Personally, he is preparing for a huge cricketing summer with the Ashes round the corner. The first Test gets underway on November 21 in Perth. Smith insists the distinctly Aussie variety of pitches they will face have the potential to be a special test for England’s batters.
At 36, Smith put on another masterclass to his highest class average of 56.01 vs England in Test. He even trumpets his home performance in Australia, claiming a much higher average of 59.70. He certainly hoped the circumstances would be much improved. The full minority English team has not experienced such a thing during their recent majority home erected sequence.
The pitches in Australia in the last three or four years have been very challenging for top order batters. I think it’s going to be a great challenge for them, too,” Smith said. He noted that the pace attacks of each team will be a big factor in this next series. Yet instead of putting them down, he focused on their strengths.
Smith has been following too those recent India and England series up close. He called it a “masterclass of good cricket.” “It’s going to be a wonderful series. I have been watching the India and England series and there has been some great cricket played there, so I think the Ashes this year is going to be an absolute belter,” he remarked.
Smith’s immediate priority is The Hundred. Still, he is keen to get back into the groove of his place in Australia’s T20 setup. He has changed his focus with the retirement from one-day cricket. Now, he wants to do a lot more development of franchise opportunities around the world and has his sights on the Olympic team. “I decided to stop playing one-day cricket so I can play more franchises, with the aim to make the Olympic team,” he explained.
It’s the challenge England’s batters, as Smith noted, must acclimatise to after coming up against spinners operating at their own level in the Ashes test matches. “Their batters are going to be challenged a little bit differently to the wickets they have had over in England for a while, which have looked pretty flat and good for batting,” he noted.
With the Ashes on the horizon, anticipation is palpable. This exciting matchup will be a true test of each team’s skill and mental toughness. Smith’s experience and insight will be invaluable. Cricket lovers will be treated to an intense contest as Australia attempts to restore order on familiar territory.
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