Australia batsman Steve Smith was forced to retire hurt after being hit by England speedster Jofra Archer, then returned to bat on an extraordinary fourth day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s on Saturday.
Smith was struck on the neck just below the left ear by a 92.4 mph bouncer and paused his innings♕ on 80.
He passed medical assessments and resumed 40 minuteꩵs later but was unsettled, playing an expansive heave at the second ball he faced.
The former Australian captain then committed an uncharacteristic error of judgement to play no stroke at a str🦂aight ball from Chris Woakes and was given out lbw on 92.
Australia was finally bundled out for 250 – a first-innings deficit of eight – shortly before a delayed Tea break.
Meanwhile, the Twitter world was blown away by Smith’s bravery.
Here are some of the tweets in praise of Smith:
Steve Smith is extra special . Another outstan🥂ding innings.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif)
I get the pantomime of arrival to the crease and the booing but please stop booing once he plays with great skill,courage and incredible discipline !!! he deserves a standing ovation for that innings …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
Brave and courageous batting.
— Isa Guha (@isaguha)
Blimey, is back out. Incredible.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker)
Sorry you cannot boo Smith a♌fter being hit and coming back on!! Are they F🤬 kidding
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93)
Gutsiest batting I’ve seen in a long time. Take a boᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚꦦᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚw
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan)
This is serious test cricket !! Archer vs Smith.
— Nasser Hussain (@nassercricket)
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Carlos Brathwaite (@CRBrathwaite26)
A battered, bruised and brave Steve Smith falls eight runs short of the first player to p🌊ost three straight tons in 72 years.
One leave too many, but one more miraculou꧙s knock.
A week out from Ess v Coll, as Bucks would say,💧 shame on anyܫone who booed a champion.
— Sam Landsberger (@SamLandsberger)
If the amount of respect could be calculated, Steve Smitಞh has probably gained more than what he had lost. What a player!
— Sagar (@sagarcasm)
A standing ovation for Steve Smith, good gesture from the Lord's crowd. He deserved every bit of that.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Steve Smith is probably in the form of his life. Got hit by Archer’s ferocious bouncer… he came back again. Exhibiting warrior-like qualities. And he’s booed by the Lord’s crowd. People who’re privileged to watch the game at the Home of Cricket could behave better!
— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang)
