Steve Smith’s Challenging Return to Sheffield Shield Cricket
Star Australian cricketer Steve Smith faced a tough return to Sheffield Shield cricket as he prepares for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. Playing for New South Wales against Victoria in Melbourne, Smith scored only single-digit runs, including a duck. In the first innings, he was caught behind by Sam Harper off Fergus O’Neill for three runs. In the second innings, Scott Boland trapped him leg-before wicket for a duck.
This performance is concerning for Australian fans as Smith has struggled in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, scoring 738 runs in 12 matches at an average of 35.14. He has only one century and four fifties, with a top score of 110. Smith will return to his familiar number four position against India, where he has excelled, scoring 5,966 runs in 111 innings at an average of 61.50.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy will begin with the first Test in Perth from November 22 to 26, followed by a day-night Test in Adelaide from December 6 to 10. The series will continue in Brisbane from December 14 to 18, with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from December 26 to 30. The final Test will be in Sydney from January 3 to 7.
Doubts Revealed
Steve Smith -: Steve Smith is a famous Australian cricketer known for being one of the best batsmen in the world. He plays for the Australian national team and has a unique batting style.
Sheffield Shield -: The Sheffield Shield is a domestic cricket competition in Australia. It is similar to the Ranji Trophy in India, where different regional teams compete against each other.
Duck -: In cricket, a ‘duck’ means a batsman gets out without scoring any runs. It’s called a ‘duck’ because the number zero looks like a duck’s egg.
New South Wales -: New South Wales is a state in Australia, and it has its own cricket team that competes in the Sheffield Shield. It’s similar to how Maharashtra has its own team in the Ranji Trophy.
Victoria -: Victoria is another state in Australia with its own cricket team. They compete in the Sheffield Shield against other state teams like New South Wales.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy -: The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is a cricket series played between India and Australia. It is named after two famous cricketers, Allan Border from Australia and Sunil Gavaskar from India.
ICC World Test Championship -: The ICC World Test Championship is a league competition for Test cricket, which is the longest format of the game. Teams from different countries compete to be the best in the world.
Perth -: Perth is a city in Australia where some cricket matches are held. It is known for having a cricket ground with a fast pitch, which can be challenging for batsmen.