‘Shocked’ at demotion: Smith rediscovers form but will slide down batting order

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Steve Smith said he was “shocked” to be told he would be eased from No.3 to No.4 when Travis Head resumes at the top of the order for Australia, but would do what was best for the team as it builds into the second half of the World Cup.

“It’s a different sort of mindset, coming at No.3 to No.4,” he said. “I’ve got a pretty good record at three, so I was a bit shocked in a way. But I’ll do what I need to for the team.”

Steve Smith hits out against the Netherlands.Credit: Getty Images

While Glenn Maxwell blazed an astonishing 40-ball century against the Netherlands on Wednesday and David Warner made his second hundred in a row, Smith emerged from wars on two fronts to contribute a smoothly stroked 71 to Australia’s 8-399.

One was a dip in form after a promising start to the tournament. Smith being Smith, he addressed this over hours in the nets.

“I moved back to leg stump (guard),” he said. “And I got my hands a bit higher than they have been for last week. For some reason, they dropped down a bit. I felt it in the net yesterday and everything clicked back into place again.”

This is not the first time Smith has talked of his hands as if having a life independent of him. For a top-drawer batsman, hands are more like accomplices than body parts.

“For a week, I kind of lost it,” he said. “I got a couple of nice balls. Outside of that I felt like I was batting well. I just needed to get the feeling again.

Two lbws in a row were occupational hazards, he said. “It’s a way I’ve got out quite a lot throughout my career,” he said. “I’m kind of OK with it. In the last little bit, I felt like I wasn’t getting my hands out far enough.

“Today I think you saw the way I got my hands out quite a fair way in front and I didn’t feel threatened at all. That comes from having my bat up higher and getting my hands back through the ball.

“I was a little bit annoyed that I sort of lost it for a week. But I feel like I’m in a good place now.”

Steve Smith and David Warner on good terms as Smith reaches 50.Credit: AP

While working remedially in the nets two days before the game against the Netherlands, Smith was struck a fearful blow on his right arm, necessitating on-the-spot treatment.

“I’d never been hit on my right arm before, so it was a bit odd,” he said.

“I lost a bit of feeling for a little while and then it came back. I just couldn’t really clench my fist.

“For someone who uses the bottom hand as much as I do, it wasn’t ideal. But it’s come back pretty quick, and now it’s all good.”

Steve Smith dives to avoid a run-out against the Netherlands.Credit: Getty Images

Smith and Warner shared an effortless 132-run second wicket partnership to lay the foundations for Maxwell’s assault and Australia’s gigantic score on Wednesday, but along the way a beautiful friendship almost came to an end.

The pair so mixed up their calls for one run that Warner completed the length of the pitch almost twice to make nothing.

“He said something I can’t repeat,” Smith said.

“On his run, I saw his body language, he faltered for a second and I went back. He wasn’t overly happy.”

Fortunately, Warner survived and so did their mateship.

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