It's better than never as Root's England finally lay a glove on Smith

It wasn’t stated boldly at the time but Jofra Archer’s long-awaited Test debut came with the subtext – ‘here’s our man to get Steve Smith, before he reaches his hundred’.

- Derek Pringle

Well, he did ‘get’ him though not perhaps in the manner planned after a 92mph bouncer struck Smith on his neck, just below the jawline and without any of the shock being absorbed by his helmet.

After treatment and a debate with Australia’s medical staff, the gist of which seemed to be that Smith wanted to carry on, he left the field dazed but not dismissed, with a mountain of goodwill from the Lord’s crowd and 80 runs to his name.

It was the second time Archer had struck him since being given his head after lunch from the Pavilion End. For those who know Lord’s slopes and nuances, it is the only end someone with his pace and angle should bowl though one, from which, for some reason, Joe Root had previously been reluctant to unleash him.

Touching 96mph – and I can’t think of many England bowlers who might have touched that speed other than Steve Harmison and Frank Tyson – Archer struck Smith a nasty blow to his left arm which necessitated treatment.

Shaken but not stirred, Smith continued to counter this thrilling exhibition of fast bowling until a misjudgment saw him struck badly enough to leave the field.

efore this clash, there had been nice bit of trash talking from the fast bowler to heighten expectation. As you might expect from a young man flush with confidence, Archer said that Smith, at least when preparing for the Rajasthan Royals for whom they both play, prefers to have gentle throw-downs than face him in the nets. Smith didn’t bite and instead let England feel the teeth of yet another half-century.