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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
How Steve Smith was rebuilt with a New York state of mind
A broad grin has replaced the anxiety and tears that accompanied the darkest moment of Steve Smith's career. One of Australia's greatest ever cricketers looks fit, healthy and, most important of all, happy, rejuvenated partly by time spent in New York City, which has become his second home. Gone, too, is the quirky cricketing obsessive who would 'shadow bat' — practising shots in front of a mirror without a ball — all night in hotel rooms in preparation for a match the following morning. Now, Smith is just as likely to have a golf club in his hand, having taken up the sport in recent years as a way of escaping cricket's pressure-cooker. Advertisement 'I'm pretty relaxed at the moment,' he tells The Athletic via a Zoom call from his New York apartment, as he prepares to fly to the UK to play in the short-form Hundred tournament. Smith has come a long way since his emotional press conference at Sydney International Airport in March 2018, when he admitted that his failures as captain were responsible for a cheating scandal that had engulfed his Australia team. His team-mate Cameron Bancroft had been caught by television cameras tampering with the ball during a Test match against South Africa. Bancroft was pictured using sandpaper to rough up one side of the ball in an illegal attempt to induce it to swing. A Cricket Australia investigation found that Smith and David Warner, the team's opening batter, had known about the plan and attempted to cover it up. The controversy sparked an existential crisis in Australia's national sport, even prompting the country's then-Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, to express his outrage. Smith was sacked as captain, and he and Warner were banned for a year. Bancroft received a nine-month suspension. It was a nadir for Smith who, at the time of 'Sandpaper-gate', was the world's best batter and apparently untouchable as Australia's golden boy. Watching Smith convulsing with sobs in front of the media, the hand of his father, Peter, on his shoulder, many wondered if he would ever be quite the same player again. It was in New York that Smith sought sanctuary during his exile from the sport. He was already a devotee of the city, having proposed to his then-fiancee Dani Willis at the top of the Rockefeller Center in 2017, but the anonymity of Manhattan life was a balm in a time of crisis. 'We love this city,' Smith says. 'We first came here for a visit in 2016 and we were drawn to it. We come here to chill out and relax. There's so much to see and do. Yes, there are a lot of ex-pats, people from Australia, England and India who want to talk about cricket, but I'm largely anonymous. Advertisement 'I've realised as I've got older how important the mental side of cricket is and it takes a lot out of you so you have to try and keep as much in the tank as you can for when the games come around. Hitting loads of balls adds to mental fatigue, so I'm trying to strike a balance between the physical aspect with the mental side of it. 'I still do little bits of shadow batting here and there, but I'm just as likely to get the golf clubs out now. Look, I still train exceptionally hard when I'm around cricket and I still hit a lot of balls in practice but probably less than I did in the past. 'I'm in a place where I'm able to focus for long periods during a five-Test series and that's something I've learnt over a period of time and want to continue.' It is to the United States that Smith, now 36, looks when he considers the last great ambition of a stellar career that has seen him score more than 10,000 Test runs and recover his standing in Australia. Smith wants to play in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, the first time cricket will feature at the Games since 1900, when Great Britain defeated France. Given the LA 2028 format will be Twenty20 — where each team faces 20 six-ball overs — Smith, who will be 39 when that competition rolls around, is determined to play as much short-form cricket as he can, even retiring from 50-over internationals to free up time in his calendar. 'It would be cool and quite something to play in an Olympics,' he says. 'I think the shortest format is the one I haven't quite conquered, so it's one I'd like to improve in. I know the Australian coach Andrew McDonald laughs every time I score a run or two in the Big Bash (Australia's T20 competition) or other short-form tournaments. I send him texts saying, 'Did you see that, mate?' so hopefully I'll be sending plenty of texts and getting my name in that format.' Advertisement There is no question over Smith's place in the Australian Test side and he will again be at the forefront of their attempt to retain the Ashes, the Test series with England that has been the marquee event for both countries since it was first contested in 1882. He has followed England's recent series against India closely from the States and talks with admiration over the achievement of Joe Root in eclipsing his countryman Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history. Smith and Root were part of a so-called 'Fab Four', alongside India's Virat Kohli and New Zealand's Kane Williamson, who all emerged at the start of the last decade and established themselves as the sport's pre-eminent batters. Yet, while Root had, for a long time, been ranked well behind the other three, he is now the undisputed world No 1. 'He's batting on another level at the moment,' says Smith. 'Joe looks in such a calm place when he's batting and he's making consistently big scores. For the last few years he's been beautiful to watch. His plans in all sorts of different conditions are spot on and he's scored big runs.' The one blot on Root's record is his failure to make a Test century in Australia. Might Smith be reminding him of that when the pair meet later in August as opposing Hundred players, Smith for the Cardiff-based Welsh Fire and Root for Trent Rockets? 'I don't think he needs reminding; he probably knows it,' says Smith. 'I do think it will be challenging for the English batters in this Ashes because the wickets we've played on in Australia over the last three or four years have been as challenging as anything I've seen in my career. It will be tricky for them, that's for sure.' At last Smith has stopped being Mr Nice Guy and is playing one of those psychological shots Australians specialise in when an Ashes series looms. Well, sort of anyway. Did he not say to the BBC recently that England's 'Bazballers' — the name given to the ultra-attacking philosophy instilled by head coach Brendon McCullum — have changed the way they play and are now trying to win rather than merely entertain? Advertisement 'I saw a lot of comments having a go at me for that but it was supposed to be a compliment!' smiles Smith. 'I just think the way they're going about it now is playing the situation better in terms of trying to win a Test. 'I think what England used to say about being the great entertainers was a bit of a cop out but me saying they are trying to win the game, and playing the situations well, is a compliment to them. 'It's going to be a wonderful atmosphere in Australia. The last Ashes at home was during Covid so a lot of English fans couldn't travel and the atmosphere suffered but it won't be like that this time.' Was that not the Ashes series which Stuart Broad, England's combative fast bowler, said should have been declared void because of Covid restrictions? 'Of course he said that!' says Smith. Sadly for England, Australia's 4-0 win still stands but, as long as captain Ben Stokes regains fitness, England really do have a decent chance of winning their first series in Australia since Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower's 3-1 triumph in 2010-11. Does Smith agree? 'I think they've got a pretty good side,' he says diplomatically. 'Root has been outstanding and Harry Brook is a quality player. Ben Duckett has been outstanding, too. We know what Stokes is capable of with both bat and ball and I think their fast bowlers are as good as they've been for a while. 'Conditions-wise it will be challenging for our batters but it will be challenging for them too because a lot of wickets England have been playing on have been pretty flat and ours will be a bit spicy. I can assure them they will be tricky to bat on.' For now, more Ashes talk can wait. Smith is preparing for his first experience of the Hundred, which began yesterday, having also featured in the US for what has become Welsh Fire's sister team, Washington Freedom, when they won the Major League Cricket title last year. The former Australian captain was due to play for Welsh Fire when the Hundred was first devised but it was postponed because of Covid. Now, finally, he is ready to make his debut in Welsh Fire's first match against Northern Superchargers on Thursday, even though when we speak he is still wearing a splint on the finger he damaged playing against South Africa in the World Test Championship final in June. Advertisement Will it be different to T20? 'Good question!' says Smith. 'It probably just takes out a few overs of the potential rebuilding that can happen in T20 cricket if you lose a few wickets. It's probably going hammer and tongs the entire time and trying to hit as many boundaries as you can, so I'm looking forward to that.' One of the fascinating features of the modern world of franchise cricket is seeing players from rival countries in the same team. In Smith's case that means joining forces with Jonny Bairstow, the England player whose dismissal in the Lord's Test in 2023 — he was run out by wicket-keeper Alex Carey as he walked out of his crease, thinking the ball was dead — was one of the great Ashes rows of recent times. Do they have to put that behind them? 'From my point of view it's forgotten,' Smith insists. 'I'm looking forward to playing with Jonny. He's been a wonderful player for a long time and gives the white ball in particular a real smack. I've read recently that he's trying to get back in the England white-ball team and he's probably got a bit of a point to prove.' For all the Ashes rivalry it is good to see Smith put those bad times behind him and clearly relish all he is doing. 'While I'm still enjoying cricket I will stick around to try to help the team win as many matches as I can,' he says. 'I go about my business, work hard and try to do my thing.' Steve Smith is in a good place and will be doing his thing for some time yet. Click here to read more cricket stories on The Athletic, and follow Global Sports on The Athletic app via the Discover tab. (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; William West / Getty, Stu Forster / Getty, Gary Herschorn / Getty)
BBC News
01-08-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Gloucs' Phillips hits maiden ton in Middlesex draw
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, College Ground, Cheltenham (day four)Middlesex 445: Williamson 153; M Taylor 3-88Gloucestershire 404-9: Phillips 136; Cornwell 2-55Gloucestershire (15 pts) drew with Middlesex (15 pts)Match scorecard Gloucestershire's Joe Phillips hit his maiden first class century as the rain-ruined County Championship Division Two match with Middlesex ended in an inevitable the third day washout, a still wet outfield prevented any play until 13:25 BST, with a minimum of 68 overs left in the their first innings on 54-1, a deficit of 391, Gloucestershire extended it to 400-9 by stumps, 21-year-old Cornishman Phillips making 136 from 182 balls, with 19 Hammond contributed an attractive 71 and Cameron Bancroft 58. But there had been too little time on a placid pitch for the teams to conjure a decisive outcome and both had to settle for 15 an early lunch at 12:45, Phillips and skipper Bancroft played confidently on a pitch still proving surprisingly straightforward to bat on considering it was shaved at both on 11 at the start, Phillips had a scare on 34 when advancing down the pitch to off-spinner Josh De Caires and edging between wicketkeeper and first slip for four. It was a rare moment of anxiety for Gloucestershire as Bancroft was first to his half-century, off 104 balls, with nine experienced Aussie was looking in prime form and it was a surprise when, with the total advanced to 126, he was bowled off a bottom edge aiming to pull a boundary off left-arm seamer Noah then Phillips was treating the sparse crowd to a range of sweetly-timed strokes off front and back foot, a single to deep cover off Luke Hollman's leg-spin taking him to fifty off 92 deliveries, with five fours. Two more boundaries followed from fierce pull shots in the same Cornwell Price was soon looking equally at home on the two-tone coloured surface. A glorious square drive for four off Ryan Higgins took Truro-born Phillips past his previous best first class score of 80, made on the same ground against Worcestershire in tea, he had moved to 96 and, with Price unbeaten on 33, Gloucestershire were 209-2, still trailing by 236. A looping full toss from Sam Robson gave Phillips the chance to strike the boundary that brought up his century off 145 balls. It was his 15th four and he raised a clenched fist in the air to departed soon afterwards for 34, caught behind top-edging a sweep off Robson's leg-breaks. The dismissal meant a first bowling point for Middlesex on a day their promotion hopes suffered a damaging blow with Glamorgan's victory over and Hammond took Gloucestershire to 250 and a batting point. With more bonus points up for grabs, neither team wanted to shake hands on the his feet well to attack the spinners, Phillips continued on his merry way, while Hammond also went on the attack at every opportunity. Their entertaining stand of 66 in 12.1 overs ended when Phillips holed out to long-on off Hammond, who often flourishes at the Festival, advanced to smack a straight six off Des Caires as Gloucestershire progressed to a second batting point, losing James Bracey cheaply, caught at mid-on off Des Caires with the total on earned Middlesex a second bowling point when having Graeme van Buuren caught at slip. But Hammond moved to a fluent half-century off 63 balls before Zaman Akhter was seventh man out, caught at backward square leg sweeping a ball from Hollman with eight overs remaining.A Hammond six off Hollman took Gloucestershire to a third batting point before he fell aiming to clear long-on off Higgins. With three overs remaining, Middlesex took the second new ball and Cornwell had Matt Taylor caught behind to give his side maximum bowling was still time for a Josh Shaw six off Higgins as he and Todd Murphy helped the hosts reach 400 in the very last over. Both teams could feel happy at the end of a thoroughly entertaining final Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.
BBC News
30-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Gloucs start well in reply to Middlesex's 445
Rothesay County Championship Division Two, College Ground, Cheltenham (day two)Middlesex 445: Williamson 153; M Taylor 3-88Gloucestershire 54-1: Bancroft 25*Gloucestershire (3 pts) trail Middlesex (4 pts) by 391 runsMatch scorecard Half-centuries from Leus du Plooy and Luke Hollman cemented a strong Middlesex position on the second day of the rain-affected County Championship Division Two match against Gloucestershire at a delayed start due to a wet outfield, the visitors increased their first innings total from an overnight 232-3 to 445 all out, first day centurion Kane Williamson dismissed for 153, while du Plooy contributed 57, Hollman 60 not out and Ben Geddes 44. Matt Taylor returned 3-88 and Todd Murphy the close, Gloucestershire had replied with 54-1, skipper Cameron Bancroft unbeaten on 25, and trailed by 391 heavy rain of the previous evening left its mark and a healthy Festival crowd at the College Ground had to be patient in awaiting a 12:30 BST start, with 80 overs to be bowled in the day. The 40 minutes before a revised lunch interval saw du Plooy move from an overnight 42 to a 78-ball half-century with five had begun proceedings by sweeping the first ball of the day from Murphy for four and again looked in imperious form. But Gloucestershire made a breakthrough with the total on 268 as du Plooy fell lbw to Taylor to end a partnership of lunch score was 275-4, with Williamson unbeaten on 127. The former Gloucestershire player brought the 300 up with a pulled four off Zaman Akhter and progressed serenely to 150 off 176 balls, with 18 fours and two Higgins, also facing his former county, produced some meaty pull shots in progressing to 29 before edging an attempted drive off left-arm spinner Graeme van Buuren through to wicketkeeper James Bracey to make the score two runs added, Williamson's superb knock came to an end in tame fashion when he miscued a full toss from off-spinner Murphy to Cameron Bancroft at short mid-on. He had faced 183 deliveries and batted for four hours and 21 minutes, producing an array of sweetly-timed shots, particularly through the off had toiled away without reward up to that point, but struck again two balls later as Joe Cracknell pushed forward without making contact and was pinned lbw. At 325-7, Middlesex were in danger of failing to make the most of their prospect was dispelled by Geddes and Hollman, who added 66 up to the tea interval. Gloucestershire delayed taking the new ball until the 89th over to persist with spin and Geddes greeted it by pulling a six off began the final session by raising 400 with an off-driven four off Taylor. The landmark was reached in the 99th over, leaving Middlesex 11 more to clinch maximum batting did not appear a problem on a pitch which despite its strange appearance – shaved at both ends – was proving straightforward to bat on. But, with the total advanced to 413, Zaman Akhter was introduced from the College Lawn End and the seamer's first delivery saw Geddes pop up a simple catch to Middlesex man looked to the skies in disbelief before departing. But Hollman was in full flow, reaching an 81-ball fifty and celebrating with a pulled six off Josh claimed a third bowling point when Tom Helm fell leg before to Murphy for 13 in the 108th over with his side still eight runs short of 450. Hollman edged them closer, but Akhter then clean bowled last man Noah Cornwall to end the were left with 21 overs to bat in the day and had progressed to 36 without loss when Middlesex turned to spin and Josh De Caires bowled Ben Charlesworth shouldering arms for 18 with his first delivery from the College Lawn Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay.
News.com.au
14-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Never give up hope': Forgotten man in mix for Ashes recall amid Konstas doubts
Mike Hussey believes the door may be ajar for Cameron Bancroft to return to Australia's XI for the Ashes, despite the forgotten opener's fears that the ship may have sailed on his Test career. Usman Khawaja appears set to play out the Ashes before retiring, but the jury is still out on teenager Sam Konstas, who hasn't made a big score since his blistering half century against India last Boxing Day. West Indies vs Australia Test & T20I Series | Watch every ball LIVE with ESPN, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Konstas has scores of 60, 8, 23, 22, 3, 5, 25, 0, 17, and 0 in Test cricket so far and his form against the West Indies has raised serious doubts over whether he will open the batting against England this summer. The commenators described it as a 'miserable first trip to the West Indies for Konstas'. Konstas is clearly a talented player and a star of the future, but he has looked lost at times during against the West Indies with some technical flaws on display. Speaking to Hussey said Konstas was still making his way in Test cricket but there are alternatives if selectors opted to go with a more experienced player to partner Khawaja at the top of the order against England. The first few Sheffield Shield matches before the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21 could prove pivotal in the make-up of Australia's top six. Hussey flagged West Australian batters Cam Bancroft and Sam Whiteman as potential options to come into the Australian XI, while the likes of Kurtis Patterson, Henry Hunt, Jason Sangha could force themselves into the selection frame with strong form. Matt Renshaw and Marcus Harris are other opening options, but their window at Test level may have come and gone. Hussey said: 'There's no one in particular that I think 'I'd love to see this guy in', but what I am excited about is I feel like there's a number of guys that have a great opportunity for the start of the next Sheffield Shield season to really hit the ground running, get a couple of really big scores and throw their name right into the mix. 'Obviously (Nathan) McSweeney got a bit of an opportunity last year, he's one. Marcus Harris has been scoring runs in England, he's been around for a little while. 'Kurtis Patterson's been doing well for New South Wales. Jason Sangha for South Australia finished off the season brilliantly last year. I mean there's still Cameron Bancroft and Sam Whiteman floating around with a bit of experience as well. I'm probably missing a couple that should be in the conversation as well. 'That's the exciting thing. Yes, maybe there's some brilliant players that are coming towards the back end of their career, but hopefully got a little bit more cricket left in them, but there's going to be some good competition for spots moving forward.' Bancroft played the last of his 10 Tests in the 2019 Ashes, and has been solid for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield and for Gloucestershire in County Cricket – he was the top Shield runscorer in 2022/23 and 2023/24 with hauls of 945 and 778 runs. The 32-year-old, who was infamously involved in the sandpaper scandal, recently made the tough admission he believes his chances of a Test recall may be over. 'You never give up hope, but I've got to say that the squad and set-up is looking at the moment means I'm probably not going to get the chance,' Bancroft said on behalf of Genting Casino. 'To be able to represent my country again would be awesome and I've played in a couple of Ashes series which were great fun to be part of. The way both countries come together is unique and it makes for a really exciting contest. 'The wonderful thing about playing county cricket is that I've faced some of the English talent that is knocking around. I played with (England fast bowler) Matt Potts up at Durham a few years ago and is exciting that these types of bowlers are getting the opportunity.' England have not won a Test match in Australia since the 2010-11 series, but it is expected to be a more closely contested Ashes series than England's previous three tours to Australia. A settled batting line-up with plenty of firepower has England hopeful of winning their first Ashes series since 2015, but the fortunes of the Poms will likely come down to the availability of their fast bowling brigade following the retirements of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. 'Both Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts have what it takes to succeed in Australia. They have good air speed, which is a vital tool,' Bancroft said. 'We've got a couple of bowlers at Gloucestershire that have played for Lions recently and could transition into international cricket. Ajeet Singh Dale is someone I rate very highly. he's a wonderful bowler who hasn't previously got the returns he deserves in domestic cricket. 'The package he offers and the way he bowls makes me think he's someone who would be successful for England. He's a really good learner, he is someone who I think is keen to improve and who is keen can play for England. He's a great professional and I'm not surprised that England have been taking a look at him.' Bncroft believes Australia will be able to retain the Ashes, largely on the back of the historically prolific bowling cartel and the faact Australian pitches have been difficult to bat on in recent summers. 'I'm reasonably confident that Australia will retain the Ashes, especially in our home conditions,' Bancroft said. 'It won't be easy, but I'd like to think we'd be able to make Australian conditions count and put England under pressure. I don't see any reason as to why we won't win the Ashes.' It's difficult to get a gauge on form with Australia's batting looking brittle on tricky pitches in the West Indies, while England and India's batters are racking up centuries for fun on UK pitches that have been described as highways. 'The conditions in Australia are quite different to anywhere England have played recently, especially in Test cricket,' Bancroft said. 'Across the last couple of years, the pitches haven't always been flat and batter-friendly. We've seen quite a bit of extra pace and bounce in recent times, which means you're flirting with danger when playing an aggressive style like England do. 'With that being said, though, you need to look at some of the innings Travis Head and Alex Carey have played in a counterattacking style. They are all about putting pressure on the opposition bowlers and seeing them do that in Australia can only big a good thing for. Australia will have be wary of that happening, for sure. 'I think Steve Smith will remain England's biggest problem, 100 per cent. His experience alone and weight of Ashes runs will be a big factor. 'The positive thing for England is that their new generation of bowlers will not have faced Steve Smith previously and will go into the Ashes without mental scars of the previous series. 'Whether Cameron Green bats at three during the Ashes probably depends on how he feels when it comes to bowling but, having been a teammate of his and watched his progress recently at Gloucestershire, I know how much hard work he's been putting in. He's a still really young and is someone who sure we should be watching out for in the Ashes.' Victory in the Ashes will help cement Pat Cummins' legacy as one of the Australia's great captains, while it's all on the line for Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's attacking 'Bazball' method. 'Winning the Ashes will be a nice reflection on Pat Cummins as a captain and a nice reflection of how good this Australia team that he's been able to lead is,' said Bancroft. 'Leadership is one part, put having the right people around you means everything can come together. 'This team, for sure, is one of the best Australian teams we've seen. They're right up there.' England's Bazballers have some Aussie fans nervous, but Hussey is backing the Aussies to get the job done. 'We're always nervous coming into an Ashes series, but we should still be confident,' Hussey said. 'We play very well in Australian conditions, we know the conditions so well. England will certainly come in pretty hard. 'It looks like they're trying to build a bit of a pace battery to come in and really test the Australian batters. They believe the way to have success in Australia is by having high pace fast bowlers coming in, which would be a good tactic to make for some exciting cricket, no question about that. 'Their batting looks pretty settled. They're going to come with certainly some confidence and the way Brendan McCullum leads that sort of team with Ben Stokes, they're not going to take a backward step. They'll come out trying to throw some punches and it's just going to make for such an exciting series.'
West Australian
14-07-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Australian Test hopefuls, including Cameron Bancroft, will have four matches to audition for Ashes series
Australian Test hopefuls, including Cameron Bancroft, will have four matches to audition for Ashes series
