Steve Smith in talks to play county cricket ahead of this year’s Ashes:
The world number 2 Test batter and Australian great, Steve Smith, is in talks with Sussex to play in the English county before the likely appearance in the World Test Championship final in 2023 and the upcoming Ashes series. The phenomenal right-handed batter is in a position to play three to four games for Sussex to prepare for the Ashes series as his team aims to win their first Ashes in England after 2001.
However, England Test captain Ben Stokes, in December during the Pakistan tour said that Steve Smith’s inclusion would be a huge thing for the counties but he does not want the Aussies to spend time nad get used to the English conditions before the Rivalry series begin.
“It’s good for the county game to see players of Steve’s calibre want to come over and play. But I don’t know. It’s one of those where you probably prefer them not to get any game time in England before the Ashes. It is what it is,” he said.
Sussex is quite interested in the potential inclusion of Test great, Steve Smith, as they already have one solid Indian, Cheteshwar Pujara, in their batting order. Further,the English Cricket Board seems to have no issue with the inclusion of Smith in the County Championship.
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“Any good player coming to our domestic system will raise the standard of it. It’s good for our bowlers to bowl at Steve Smith. It’s good for young batters to bat with him,” ECB performance director Mo Bobat said.
Steve Smith’s record in England is nothing short of brilliant. The former Australian skipper has scored six out of his thirty Test centuries in England and made a staggering 774 runs in the Ashes four years ago in England.
Australia will tour England in June for the Ashes series. The five Test matches series will start on 16th June, 2023. When Australia last toured England for the Ashes, Ben Stokes’s heroics saved the English team from losing the Ashes at home. However, Australia retained the Ashes title at the end.
