In a heated moment during the second day of the third Ashes 2023 Test, tensions flared between Australian batter Steve Smith and England’s wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow. The incident occurred after Smith was dismissed and he reacted angrily to Bairstow’s remark. The confrontation added spice to an already intense match as both teams fought for dominance.
Australia, who were aiming to extend their lead in the evening session, saw Smith fall victim to England’s off-spinner Moeen Ali, following the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne. These two quick wickets gave England a significant boost, as their captain Ben Stokes had earlier produced an extraordinary performance, narrowing Australia’s first innings advantage to a mere 26 runs.
Smith initially began walking off the field before abruptly turning his head back towards the middle, exchanging words with Bairstow.
Right after the dismissal, Bairstow gave a send-off and said, “See ya, Smudge,” provoking Smith to pivot and inquire about the comment.
Smith was then heard yelling “What was that mate? Hey, Hey..”
Bairstow clarified, stating, “I said ‘see you later’,” as Smith resumed his walk off the field.
Here is the video:
"See ya, Smudge!" 👋
"What was that, mate?!? HEY!" ðŸ˜
Jonny Bairstow getting in Steve Smith's head 👀 pic.twitter.com/PyTKFuaC4s
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 7, 2023
The incident added fuel to an already intense match, as England faced an uphill battle after losing their skipper Joe Root and Bairstow early in their innings. However, Stokes once again rose to the occasion, preventing Australia from securing a substantial first innings lead.
England staged an impressive comeback in the final session by taking three key wickets. As the match progressed, the responsibility fell on Australian batters Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh to revive their team’s fortunes, as they currently lead by 142 runs. If Australia can push their lead beyond 300, they will have a strong chance of taking a 3-0 lead in the series.
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