In MCG Test Steve Smith blocks out boos
The opening day was an event in Australia’s cricket calendar – The Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground. An Australian batsman never expects to be jeered. On day one of the second Test against New Zealand after record an unbeaten 77, Steve Smith said, “Is that what happened? I didn’t have any idea.”
Large crowd at the match:
When a crowd of more than 80,000 congregated at MCG during the Australia and New Zealand Test, Smith was greeted with a mixture of cheers and boos while walking to the crease at the time of fall of Australia’s second wicket.
The booing of the crowd was no doubt linked to his one-year ban. It was due to his role in the ball-tampering affair in the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March 2018. Smith led the Australian team at that time.
Steve Smith’s words after the match:
Smith may become Australia’s captain in March 2020. The 30-year-old Smith exhibited tremendous flexibility at the time of Australia’s Ashes tour of England in 2019, scoring 774 runs at an average of 110.57 and jointly winning the player of the series award with England’s Ben Stokes. Though he was subject to constant abuse from English crowds, he is now being booed in his own country.
Smith said, “When I walk out to bat I don’t listen to cheering, booing, dunno. I have just learned block it all out, regardless, good or bad. Tomorrow one more good partnership would be nice and I think set the game up for us”.
In the past, in Melbourne, Smith scored a lot of runs six Tests. It is anybody’s guess if the boos turn into cheers when the world’s No.2 ranked batsman’s sheer class is on display again on Friday.
