Former England captain Michael Vaughan admitted he is surprised members of the touring crowd are still booing Steve Smith after the stand-in captain’s wicket left Australia in a hole. Australia lost three quick wickets on a breezy morning in Melbourne after Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl on a green pitch at the MCG.
Smith walked out to the middle to bat after Travis Head and Jake Weatherald both fell after a solid start. Smith walked out to join Marnus Labuschagne at the crease, but a number of the fans from the English contingent let out an audible boo on day one.
Michael Vaughan was surprised members of the English crowd still booed Steve Smith (pictured left) when walking out to bat after the stand-in captain was out after a ‘ridiculous’ shot. (Images: Getty Images)
This isn’t the first time Smith has copped it from English fans and it has happened throughout his career. While this could be considered a compliment – considering the fans are targeting him because of his incredible record against them in the Ashes – it didn’t sit well with Vaughan. The former England captain felt it was time to drop the act.
“I still can’t believe there are English fans out there booing,” Vaughan said on Fox Sports commentary when Smith strode towards the crease. And Smith’s former teammate agreed.
“Extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary,” David Warner said of the boos. Some of the great Australian players have been the target of chants and boos from the England crowd in the past. And this would hardly discourage Smith.
But fans still had mixed opinions. Many are now accustomed to the English giving Smith a bit of stick as he walks out to bat. Others felt it was becoming an ’embarrassing’ act directed at arguably the greatest Test batter of his generation.
Josh Tongue dismisses Steve Smith
Plenty of Aussie fans were excited to see Smith return to bat at the MCG after missing out in Adelaide. Smith has an incredible record at the MCG, but he was at sea against Josh Tongue who did some early damage to the Australian innings.
Tongue was causing havoc on a cold Melbourne morning and left Smith bamboozled on nine runs. The England quick pitched up a delivery and it went straight through Smith’s bat and pad to crash into the stumps. “He wasn’t quite in rhythm,” commentator Kerry O’Keeffe claimed of Smith at lunch.
Steve Smith (pictured) was bowled out for nine runs at the MCG.
Smith’s shot selection was described as ‘ridiculous’ with the No.4 rarely bowled out in such a manner. It marked only the 14th time Smith has been bowled in Australia throughout his career. Seven of these have come at the MCG.
Australia were in all sorts after lunch dropping five wickets. Smith would have been hoping for a big score at the MCG to continue his incredible record, but it turns out Stokes got his selection right having opted to bowl first.