Steve Smith relishes tough situations

Manchester: Steve Smith was glad to have again made runs when needed them as Australia closed in on retaining the Ashes at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Smith’s counter-attacking 82 was the centrepiece of their second-innings total of 186-6 declared, whch left England with an imposing target of 383 to win the Test and keep their hopes of winning the series alive.

“When it is tough you want your experienced players to step up,” Smith told reporters on Saturday.

“I have played quite a lot of cricket now. I like to get in those situations and try to be the one to take the team through.”

Smith, who shot a superb 211 in Australia’s first innings of 497-8 declared, has now scored 671 runs in five innings this Ashes, at an average of 134.2 and including three hundreds. It’s an incredible return to Test cricket for the 30-year-old former Australia captain, following a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Smith added fast bowler Cummins had shown Australia the way on a pitch becoming increasingly tough for batsmen.

“My first 20 or 30 balls, I felt pretty vulnerable when they (England) were bowling that good length,” he recalled.

“Patty hit it beautifully tonight, I think that ball to Root is a blueprint of what we need to do, and the quicks to keep hitting that length and let the pitch do its thing.”

Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting said that he was surprised with the kind of tactics England employed.

His remarks came after the close of play on day four. “I was extremely surprised at England's tactics after tea. To not start with one of Archer or Broad for me was staggering. I think the most important phase of play for England was the first hour after tea and they decided to go with Overton and Leach,” Ponting said.