The story appears on

Page A15

August 19, 2019

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

HomeSportsCricket

Smith out of test with concussion

Australia鈥檚 Steve Smith was ruled out of the last day of the second Ashes test against England at Lord鈥檚 with concussion, Cricket Australia announced yesterday.

Smith was felled when a Jofra Archer bouncer struck his neck on Saturday.

鈥淚 started to feel a little bit of a headache coming on last night as the adrenaline got out of my system but I was able to get a good night鈥檚 sleep in, but I woke up feeling a bit groggy and with a headache again,鈥 Smith said.

鈥淚 had some tests done and then some further assessments deemed to be a mild concussion, so I鈥檝e been ruled out of this test match unfortunately.鈥

The series is the first being played under the International Cricket Council鈥檚 new concussion substitute regulations, part of the inaugural World Test Championship, which allow players who have suffered head or neck injuries to be replaced fully by a substitute, who was previously restricted to fielding alone.

Marnus Labuschagne, on the field as 12th man when play resumed yesterday, became the first concussion substitute in test history after Australia鈥檚 request was approved by match referee Ranjan Madugalle.

Labuschagne can now bat or bowl in Smith鈥檚 place if required.

There are doubts whether star batsman Smith will feature in the third test at Headingley starting on Thursday, with a team spokesman saying 鈥渢he short turnaround is not in his favor.鈥

Smith was hit by an Archer bouncer when on 80 on Saturday and retired hurt.

He resumed his innings at the fall of the next wicket after 46 minutes off the field, and was eventually out for 92 鈥 the first time this series he had been dismissed for fewer than 100 runs.

The spokesman added: 鈥淪teve reported that his left arm which was also struck (by Archer) during his innings yesterday was 鈥榤uch better鈥欌 and that as part of further testing yesterday, Smith 鈥渄emonstrated some deterioration.鈥

鈥淥n that basis Steve has been withdrawn from the match by team doctor Richard Saw.鈥

Explaining how Smith had been allowed to resume his innings, he said: 鈥淚t is not uncommon for players to pass their tests and feel well on the day of an injury and then display symptoms 24-48 hours later. 鈥淪teve鈥檚 fitness will be assessed on an ongoing basis.

鈥淪teve will undergo a precautionary scan on his neck on Sunday.鈥

Significantly, Smith was wearing a helmet without the additional stem guard neck protection introduced following the death of Phillip Hughes after his former Australia teammate was hit by a bouncer in a 2014 domestic Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.

鈥淗e (Smith) just doesn鈥檛 feel right (wearing a stem guard),鈥 Australia coach Justin Langer said after stumps on Saturday.

鈥淚 know they came in after the tragedy of Hughesy. He might rethink it now after seeing what happened today, but you鈥檇 have to ask him that.

鈥淎t the moment, the players have a choice and I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised if they become mandatory in the future.鈥

Meanwhile Archer, criticized on social media for not showing enough concern for the stricken Smith, said yesterday he had been deeply worried when the batsman collapsed to the turf.

鈥淵ou are trying to get a wicket first,鈥 Archer told BBC Radio.

鈥淭o see him go down, everyone stopped and everyone鈥檚 heart skipped a beat.鈥

Australia, bidding for its first Ashes campaign triumph on English soil in 18 years, leads the five-match series 1-0 after a 251-run win at Edgbaston last week.

In that match, former captain Smith marked his first test since completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa with superb innings of 144 and 142.

After rain delayed yesterday鈥檚 start by over an hour, England resumed on 96-4 in its second innings and set Australia a target of 267 in 48 overs to win the test after England captain Joe Root declared his side鈥檚 second innings on 258-5.


 

Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

娌叕缃戝畨澶 31010602000204鍙

Email this to your friend