Steve Smith is known for his overly-enthusiastic leaves, but he took things to another level on day three of the second Test at Lord’s on Friday.
He was out in the middle only for a short while, moving to 13 off 40 balls before play was called off due to rain with Australia in trouble at 80-4 in reply to England’s first innings total of 258. But there’s always something happening when Smith is at the crease.
Wielding his bat like a lightsaber, the 30-year-old’s leaves were more exaggerated than usual. As Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer continuously kept moving the ball away from Smith, the right-hander started letting the ball go the keeper, but in the process, he pulled off many funny movements with his body.
The curious case of Steve Smith's "technique" 🥴🤣
WATCH: @Channel9 and @9Gem
STREAM: https://t.co/yF5zZnMEpX#9WWOS #Ashes pic.twitter.com/OKIZo7PoVA— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) August 17, 2019
Steve Smith leaving the ball is the most entertaining thing I’ve seen in a long time 😂😂👏🏽 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/nuuyRrDpaJ
— Alexandra Hartley (@AlexHartley93) August 16, 2019
Broad even went as far as claiming that Smith’s unique mannerisms at the crease are a distraction for umpires.