Steve Smith sports glasses after Old Trafford win apparently to mock Leeds hero Jack Leach

Former Australia captain Steve Smith found himself at the receiving end in the UK for a long time this summer. The talented batsman was taunted and booed whenever he went out to bat after returning from a year-long ban post Sandpapergate last year. He was booed before the World Cup and then when the showpiece event started. However, it was for the Ashes series following the World Cup that Smith had kept his best for.

Starting with hundreds in each innings of his comeback Test, Smith kept on dominating the series and despite missing the third Test at Headingley, he amassed 671 runs in three Tests. Smith scored 211 and 82 in the fourth Test to give Australia a crucial win that ensured that they retain the urn. The Baggy Greens won the fourth Test at Old Trafford by 185 runs on Sunday to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series with one match to go. They had won the first Test at Edgbaston by 251 runs and Smith was the hero on that occasion as well.

On Sunday, after overpowering the English resistance, Australia were back to the ground after the presentation ceremony to celebrate and there, Test No.1 batsman in Tests did something unique. He put on a pair of glasses apparently to mock England’s tail-ending batsman Jack Leach. The bespectacled cricketer became an overnight hero after holding on at one end to assist Ben Stokes in winning the third Test in Leeds.

Leach tried his best to thwart the Aussies at Old Trafford as well

The duo added unbeaten 76 runs for the final wicket to give their side a sensational victory. England were so ecstatic with the win that on Stokes’ request, official sponsors of the series Specsavers decided to give Leach free glasses for the rest of his life as a token of acknowledgment of his heroics. The southpaw did his best to deny Australia a win in Manchester as well by scoring 12 off 51 at No.10 but he wasn’t successful.

That Smith’s relationship with England saw little improvements during the series was visible when former England seamer Steve Harmison said despite his heroics, Smith will be remembered as a cheat.

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