Steven Smith has gone from a New York batting cage tucked under a bridge to a Grenada practice net in the space of a week, and the Australia vice-captain insists the damaged little finger that kept him out of the opening Test against West Indies “felt completely fine” while hitting a hard ball.
Key facts first. Smith suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger – the bone pierced the skin as he shelled Temba Bavuma at Lord’s during the World Test Championship final. He avoided surgery, wore a bulky splint through the first Test in Barbados, and now hopes to reclaim his place, which would almost certainly leave Josh Inglis on the sidelines.
With regular training off-limits, Smith travelled the five hours from Barbados to his apartment in New York. Sweat was the enemy – moisture risked infection – so an indoor option made sense. A friend pointed him towards a baseball batting cage beneath a road bridge.
“My mate actually told me about it, which was ideal because it was pretty warm there [in New York],” Smith explained. “Underneath this bridge there was a batting cage, and he was able to throw me a few balls there, so it was good to be in the shade, it was pretty hot there.”
The first session involved tennis balls and soft cricket balls. A day later he progressed to regulation Kookaburras, filming the throwdowns and sending the clips to Australia’s medical staff. Their response was positive. Stitches came out last Sunday, the splint was slimmed down, and Smith expects to face live bowling on Tuesday.
“For me, it’ll just feel like training as normal, I think,” he said. “I don’t really feel any pain or anything. [It’s] just getting used to the splint on and the slight limited movement. It’s not too bad, I’ve got a lot of movement there now, so that feels good. Hitting the ball felt completely fine.”
Fielding could be the trickier bit. Slip catching – bread-and-butter for Smith – is off the table for the moment, so he is preparing mentally for a stint at mid-on, mid-off or fine leg. “Fielding some balls in front of the wicket will probably be the strangest thing for me, I don’t think I’ve ever done that in a Test match,” he laughed.
From the hotel television he watched the first Test swing, seam and jag. “There was probably a few occasions I was happy that I wasn’t out there,” he admitted, sympathising with a top order that battled movement off the surface throughout three low-scoring days.
Australia gave debuts to Sam Konstas and Fraser-McGurk in Barbados, and neither had the dream start. Smith, who waited until his 12th Test to raise a maiden century, offered perspective. “These guys are good players, there’s been a lot of talk around it but… we just need to give them an opportunity,” he said. “It doesn’t always come around straight away. We’ve just got to give them an opportunity and let them get used to playing in these conditions and in international cricket. These guys have some really good talent and I think they have bright futures.”
Analysis: Australia’s selectors were always clear that Smith would walk back in once fit, and his return stiffens a middle order that looked one injury short in the opener. The bigger question is whether he can field effectively; a compound dislocation can remain tender for weeks. Putting him at mid-on rather than slip reduces the sharp-chance risk but also removes one of the game’s safer cordon hands.
West Indies, meanwhile, would not mind him stationed on the rope. They extracted exaggerated movement in Barbados and will hope for something similar in St George’s, though the local curator usually produces a flatter surface. A fully functioning Smith, even with a splint, still averages north of 55; the visitors know all too well how quickly he can settle.
Smith’s immediate task is Tuesday’s net session. If the finger copes, as expected, he will line up on Wednesday, white splint poking under the glove, keen to show that a bridge-side baseball cage was more than a quirky detour.
“Training’s felt normal,” he repeated, almost convincing himself as much as anyone else. Australia will be glad to hear it.
