Cricket 2024:

Steve Smith’s angry reaction to his lbw dismissal by Scott Boland at the MCG was as much about losing precious time in the middle as it was the umpire’s judgment about whether the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps.

Walking off shaking his head, Smith knew he’d be set to face India having faced a grand total of 33 deliveries in red-ball cricket this summer, with no plans for any more before the Test series begins next month.

Steve Smith falls lbw to Scott Boland. Credit: cricket.com.au

As Nathan McSweeney added another thoughtful innings to his case for Test inclusion, and teenager Sam Konstas made a useful score without nailing the big innings that could vault him into the senior squad, Smith lasted just four balls against Boland after a 29-ball stay in the first innings.

These two brief stays on a lively MCG surface are likely to be Smith’s only red-ball innings before the Test summer. He has been chosen to face Pakistan in an ODI series that clashes with the only other Sheffield Shield game for NSW before the Test team convenes in Perth.

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