Published: Dec 26, 2019, 04:32 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 26, 2019, 04:31 PM (IST)
Steve Smith says he doesn’t pay heed to what the crowd is doing when he walks out to bat after being booed on the opening day’s play of Australia’s Boxing Day Test against New Zealand at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Smith, who copped a couple of blows to his body while being served a barrage of short deliveries, took leg byes off them but was sent back by the on-field umpire Ngiel Llong on both the occasions.
Smith wasn’t amused by Llong’s decision to call the ball as dead, confronting him and was seen shaking his head while going back to the dressing room.
The crowd began booing him for his actions but Smith revealed he hadn’t heard anything. “Is that what happened? I have no idea,” Smith, who ended the day unbeaten on 77, said. “I don’t really listen when I walk out to bat. Cheering, booing, dunno. I’ve learnt to just block it all out, regardless, good or bad.”
Australia were hit early by Trent Boult who cleaned up opener Joe Burns in the first over for a first-ball duck.
The hosts recovered from the early jolt thanks to decent partnership between David Warner (41) and Marnus Labuschange (63). They ended the day at 257/4.
“The way they bowled and placed their field, I had to be patient,” Smith said . “It’s not the kind of wicket you could go after them. I think we did pretty well today. The plan will obviously be to score as many as we can (on Friday),” he added. “But after getting sent it, I think you’d take 257 for four at the end of the day. One more good partnership would be nice and sort of set the game up for us.”
