Australia hitter Steve Smith prepares for the Ashes vs England series by playing three games for Sussex | Cricket News
Steve Smith will adapt to conditions in England and ball Dukes ahead of The Ashes after signing a short-term deal with Sussex.
The Australian hitter will play three games for Hove County before his opening game against England in Edgbaston from June 16.
Smith will be available for Sussex’s matches against Worcestershire (from May 4), Leicestershire (from May 11) and Glamorgan (from May 18).
The 33-year-old said: “I am very excited to join Sussex and hope to contribute to a successful season. I am especially looking forward to working with the young players on the team and hope to be able to. guide them.”
Sussex CEO Rob Andrew said of the signing of Smith: “We are delighted. Arguably the best batting player in the world for Sussex right before the eagerly awaited Ash Test series is the great thing for us and the District Championship.
“Being able to attract a player of Steve’s caliber is a huge statement and will be of great benefit to our homegrown young players, especially our talented young players. .”
Smith – the hitter placed 2nd in the Tests, behind fellow Australian Marnus Labuschagne – averaged 59.55 in 16 Tests in the UK, with six hundred, including two tonne and seventy.
He scored 774 runs with an average of 110.57 in the 2019 Ashes series in England, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Following the opening of the 2023 Ashes Test in Edgbaston, Australia will go on to play England at Lord’s (from 28 June), Headingley (from 6 July), Emirates Old Trafford (from 19 July) and The Kia Oval (from July 27).
England captain Ben Stokes said in December he wanted Smith to have no time to prepare for county cricket.
The all-rounder said: “It’s good for the county game to see players of Steve’s caliber want to come play. But I don’t know. It’s one of those places where you probably don’t want them to have any test time. fight in England before the ashes. That’s what it is.”
However, ECB operations director Mo Bobat recently said: “Any good player that comes into our domestic system, he’s going to raise its standards. In many ways, that’s it. good.
“It’s good for our pitchers to beat Steve Smith, and it’s good for the young hitters to watch him play and get a chance to hit the ball with him.
“You could argue that it helps him prepare and that could be detrimental to England. I don’t spend too much time thinking about that.
“We tend to only worry about what we can control. If we play to our full potential, we will be anyone’s opponent and we can challenge anyone.”
The Sussex stint will be Smith’s first cricket match in the county against the red ball with the 33-year-old playing exclusive T20 cricket when he played for Worcestershire in 2010.
Watch The Ashes live on Sky Sports throughout June and July.