The Ashes 2019: Steve Smith Announces Sad News

Published 08/18/2019, 7:37 AM EDT

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Steve Smith is officially ruled out of the second test match at Lord’s, Cricket Australia on Sunday.

After getting brutally hit on the neck by a Jofra Archer bouncer, the atmosphere around the ground turned tense. It was a doubt whether he would continue after the blow, and a possibility of substituting Smith with Mithchell Marsh came out.

But after the fall of a few more wickets, Smith came out to bat rather bravely, even more so considering that he is now ruled out.

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“Breaking: Massive news from Lord’s with Steve Smith ruled out of the test with delayed concussion,” Cricket Australia tweeted.

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After serving a ban in a ball tampering scandal, his return to international cricket has been excellent. It was as if he never left. Though he was booed by many spectators, first during the World Cup, and then during The Ashes, he answered all the jeers his exceptional batting.

His masterclass at Edgbaston in the first test match was subjected to the highest praise by each and everyone in the cricket fraternity. So much that he was beginning to be compared to the great Sir Don Bradman himself.

After getting hit on the neck by a bouncer, Smith was more worried about getting on the honours board than the injury. Such was his hunger to get to another century.

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“He said ‘I can’t get on the honours board unless I’m out batting.’ All he was worried about was that he wasn’t going to be able to play his forward defence because his top hand grip was hurting,” Australian coach Justin Langer told when asked about Smith coming out to bat even after the injury.

“I asked him over and over, privately two or three times and in front of the group, the medical team cleared him and he said he was ready to go.”

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Written by:

Saketh Kandadai

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