'Not exactly sure': New twist in Steve Smith photo controversy
The retired Aussie cricketer dragged into a bizarre Ashes controversy involving Steve Smith says he's baffled by the outrage.
English fans were left raging after a photo of Smith warring a pair of glasses emerged from the Australian team's Ashes series-clinching fourth Test win.
According to The Sun reporter David Coverdale, Smith was mocking England spinner Jack Leach - who has become a cult hero for his spectacles.
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After England’s thrilling win in the third Test in which Leach scored a single run to help Ben Stokes pull off an extraordinary victory, the No.11 batsman famously recreated his heroics on the pitch during celebrations.
According to Coverdale, Smith was “taking the p***” out of Leach’s actions, even pretending to bat left-handed like Leach.
After retaining the urn by taking an unassailable 2-1 series lead in Manchester following a tense 185-run win in the final hour of day five, the tourists celebrated on the outfield - just like England did at Headingley after winning the third Test.
Smith was seen wearing and rubbing a pair of glasses before shadow batting left-handed in the middle of a team huddle, something Leach often did during his two long vigils at the crease during the second innings of the third and fourth Tests.
It led to speculation he was parodying the spinner, but the Aussies have since claimed that it was a reference to Rogers - a suggestion the man himself has verified.
“He (Smith) sent me that pic, I woke up to that pic this morning, saying he’d done it in honour of me,” Rogers told The Grade Cricketer podcast.
“Whether I’m a smokescreen, I’m not exactly sure. I was touched anyway to have got a message from him. They looked like they were having fun.”
Rogers said the Aussie team's post-match celebrations were nothing knew and that the hysteria surrounding them was unwarranted.
“After we won the Ashes in Perth in 2013-14, I managed to take a catch. I went and re-enacted the catch by catching a beer bottle at the time,” he said.
“All these things come around, it all happens. I don’t know why people are getting so offended. Who cares? It was all a bit of fun.”
The coaches for Australia and England both agree that Smith has nothing to answer for.
Justin Langer and Trevor Bayliss dismissed reports Smith mocked Jack Leach during Australia's post-Ashes victory celebrations at Old Trafford.
Langer denied and insisted Smith was instead mimicking bespectacled former Australia opener Chris Rogers.
"Experience tells me when you're doing well people try and pick holes in you," Langer said.
"That's OK, that's life. I was there, I know the truth, they were talking about Chris Rogers, who was here four years ago.
"That is actually the truth of it. Chris Rogers is a great mate of the squad, that's what it was about.
"People can make of it what they like. We can't do anything of what people make of it.
"Everyone has seen the great spirit the World Cup and this series is played in. There's been great spirit throughout. People can make of it what they like but that's the truth."
England coach Bayliss called the reports 'fake news' and said there had been no mention of the incident by the England players or any outrage from them over it.
"Fake news, Is that what Donald Trump says?" Bayliss said.
"No one's mentioned it, no one's spoken about it, all the talk had been from you guys. Absolutely nothing."
With agencies
