Ashes 2019: Michael Vaughan pleads the English crowd to stop booing Steve Smith

Steve Smith has been in jaw-dropping in the ongoing Ashes. It’s the first Test series he is playing after facing the one-year suspension following the ball-tampering scandal at the Newlands in Cape Town. In both the innings of the opening Test versus England at the Edgbaston in Birmingham, the Sydney-born bailed his team out of jail, scoring 144 and 142 runs respectively.

Quite rightly, he walked away with the Player of the Match award even as the Tim Paine-captained Aussies won the match by 251 runs. The right-hander carried over his form in the second Test at the Lord’s Cricket Ground as well. In the first innings, he racked up a superlative 92, though he couldn’t get his third consecutive century. Yet again, his grit pulled the Aussies out of the pits.

En route the wonderful knock, he was hit on the neck by Jofra Archer. At that point in time, he was on 80 and he laid on the ground after copping the blow. The physios treated him and then he walked off the field. Smith had to even undergo a concussion test. To the surprise of many, he came out to bat with a round of applause from the audience. However, he couldn’t get his century.

Michael Vaughan bats for Steve Smith

In the meantime, a section of the crowd booed even when Steve Smith was putting on a show at the Home of Cricket. Same was the case even in the opening game when banners of Smith, crying, were put up. But Smith remained oblivious of the criticism and brickbats and he kept weaving his magic on the cricket field.

The booing and the crowd’s rough behaviour towards Smith haven’t gone down well with Michael Vaughan by any stretch of the imagination. Vaughan literally pleaded the English crowd to show some appreciation for the former Australian captain, especially when he is showing ‘skill, courage and discipline’.

The former English skipper took to Twitter and wrote, “I get the pantomime of @stevesmith49 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 …#Ashes #Lords,”

Here is Michael Vaughan’s tweet

I get the pantomime of @stevesmith49 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 … #Ashes #Lords

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 17, 2019

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