Ashes 2019: Twitter in shock as Steve Smith returns to bat after retiring hurt from Jofra Archer bouncer

Australia batsman Steve Smith was forced to retire hurt after being hit by England speedster Jofra Archer, then returned to bat on an extraordinary fourth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s on Saturday.

Smith was struck on the neck just below the left ear by a 92.4 mph bouncer and paused his innings on 80.

He passed medical assessments and resumed 40 minutes later but was unsettled, playing an expansive heave at the second ball he faced.

The former Australian captain then committed an uncharacteristic error of judgement to play no stroke at a straight ball from Chris Woakes and was given out lbw on 92.

Australia was finally bundled out for 250 – a first-innings deficit of eight – shortly before a delayed Tea break.

Meanwhile, the Twitter world was blown away by Smith’s bravery.

Here are some of the tweets in praise of Smith:

CATEGORY: Australia England Jofra Archer Steve Smith Twitter Reactions

For latest cricket news and updates, subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter.

About the Author:
Anirudh is the Head of Content at CricketTimes.com. He is a seasoned journalist and content writer with 12 years of experience in the field of cricket. With over 9,000 published articles under his belt, Anirudh brings a creative and strategic approach to his work, always striving to deliver content that resonates with audiences. A die-hard sports fan who loves playing, watching and talking about cricket. Cricket is his Religion & 'Sachin Tendulkar' his GOD. His motto of life is Eat, Sleep, Cricket, REPEAT!! You can write to him at anirudh@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.