An ‘Brainless’ Exit Which ‘Encapsulates’ The English Ashes Tour

In an Ashes series littered with poor cricket, English Jamie Smith somehow plumb new depths.

The keeper’s exit on the second morning of the fifth Test against Australia was labelled “among the poorest in living memory” according to BBC chief cricket commentator Aggers.

Ex-England fast bowler Steven Finn, speaking on television, said it was “utterly brainless”.

An Unusual Passage of Play

As the lunch break neared in Sydney and Australia looking to sneak some overs to hurry along the second new ball, Australia turned to the part-timer Labuschagne to bowl a spell of his extremely rare medium-pace.

Smith had progressed to a scratchy 46. His partnership alongside Joe Root – unbeaten with a superb hundred – had added 94.

Australia, without a specialist spinner, were employing the part-time off-breaks of Travis Head at the other end.

“We better describe this setting, as it is remarkable,” commented Agnew on Test Match Special. “Marnus Labuschagne typically bowls leg-spin but is being employed as a bowler of short balls. There is nobody within reach near the batter.”

Against all logic, Smith fell into the trap. From the fourth ball he sent down, the England wicketkeeper stepped back and attempted a flat-batted swipe.

He managed to picking out Scott Boland, the sole fielder in the front half on the off side, at cover.

‘Disgusting’ – The Response

In doing so, he became victim to one of the most staggering wickets of an England batter in the longest format, one that neatly sums up the reckless nature of their Ashes series defeat.

“No. No!” cried ex-England fast bowler Aggers. “I’ve watched a lot of cricket and that dismissal is among the very worst I have ever seen.”

Former spinner Hartley, a World Cup champion with the England women’s team back in 2017, chipped in: “That shot was filthy. Totally awful. It’s disgusting.”

Finn, who won the Ashes with England on the 2010-11 down under, went further: “That’s totally senseless. I cannot believe what I just saw there. That’s going to be an incredibly quiet changing room for Jamie Smith to return to.”

A Skittish Innings Comes to an End

It ended a skittish knock from the Surrey man, who might have been out by Cameron Green several times prior to Labuschagne’s introduction to bowl.

When on 22, Smith was caught, but the video showed Green overstepped. Next ball, Smith edged between wicketkeeper Carey and Beau Webster.

He also top-edged Green over the slip cordon on 30 and later, on 34, miscued a pull that just evaded the mid-on fielder.

A Collapse Of Form

This most recent poor display in Sydney concludes an incredibly disappointing Ashes for the wicketkeeper, continuing a bad patch with the bat which started during the English summer.

After Smith made an astonishing 184 in the second Test versus India in July, his batting average stood at almost 59. Eight Tests later, it has dropped to 42.

• He has passed 50 only once in Australia.
• At Perth, he did not adapt to the big grounds succumbing to the short ball.
• In the second Test, his first match with a pink ball, he put down two vital chances as keeper.
• A score of 60 in the follow-on of the third Test remains his top score of the series, but he was caught off Mitchell Starc just when he was giving England hope of a miraculous run-chase.

Before the fifth Test he was omitted from the limited-overs squads for the tour to Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup that follows.

Questions Over His Place

Smith retains the second-best average for a gloveman that has kept in a minimum of 20 Tests for England, but his steep decline of form could raise a doubt about his position for the summer ahead.

“Smith is nowhere near the form he needs to be in,” said former England captain Michael Vaughan. “This side have to start to learn and accept. I saw comments that said Jamie Smith will probably get praise for attempting to take the game on.”

“That is the culture that has been fostered within this team and it is why they have fallen short in Australia. There are times to get on the front foot but when it is so close to lunch and a part-timer is bowling bouncers. That is unacceptable. It sums up this English team.”