Ajit Karn
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Former Australia captain Steve Smith has signed a contract to play three games for Sussex in May, likely in preparation for the upcoming Ashes and World Test Championship final.
The much-anticipated transfer means that Smith will make his debuts for Worcestershire on May 4, Leicestershire the next week, and Glamorgan (and his countryman Marnus Labuschagne) at Hove the following week.
Although neither team has officially announced their participation, the World Test Championship final will be contested at the Oval in early June, and the Ashes will begin at Edgbaston on June 16.
England captain Ben Stokes was unenthusiastic about Smith’s participation in the County Championship back in December.
He opined that having players of Steve’s calibre interested in playing in the county game was “excellent for the county game.”
But I’m not sure.
You probably don’t want them to play any games out here before the Ashes because it’s one of those situations.
While some on social media were quick to describe Sussex as “traitors” for helping the Australian, Smith has been especially quick to highlight the good contribution the Australian can make to English cricket.
He “especially looks forward to working with the younger players in the group and hoping I can provide some assistance to them,” he stated.
While Smith has a legitimate claim to greatness as a player, he remains somewhat controversial due to his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that the Australian Test team became entangled in during a tour of South Africa in 2018.
He has a batting average of 60.89 in 162 innings across 92 Tests and 50.95 in first-class cricket for New South Wales in Australia’s Sheffield Shield.
Only Don Bradman, who played for Australia 25 times, has more international caps than him.
He will play for Sussex opposite Indian No. 22 Cheteshwar Pujara in the upcoming Test series.
For a county that only made it to the second round of the County Championship last year thanks to the efforts of seven players, his signing is a huge win.
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It’s fantastic for us and the County Championship to have arguably the world’s best hitter play for Sussex right before a highly anticipated Ashes Test series, as Rob Andrew, CEO of Sussex, put it.
Under the guidance of new head coach Paul Farbrace, we are hoping to be optimistic and ambitious after several years of subpar Championship form.
Coming to Sussex this May: Steve Smith. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/GevrnjdUIf
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) January 19, 2023
@MichaelVaughan what r we doing offering steve Smith a 3 game contract with sussex prior to the 1st ashes test!?! Have we not learnt from what the aussies do? It's nuts!!
— Steve Genders (@genders_steve) January 19, 2023
