'Worst dismissal of the Ashes' - Ex-England captain slams Jamie Smith's poor shot selection in SCG Test
Nasser Hussain has slammed the wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith for yet another soft dismissal.
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Former England captain Nasser Hussain has slammed the wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith for his soft dismissal. Smith played a rash shot off part-timer Marnus Labuschagne during the fifth and final Test of the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
England started Day 2 of the Sydney Test on 211/3 with their talisman Joe Root well-set. England lost Harry Brook and captain Ben Stokes cheaply before Root steadied the ship with a crucial 94-run partnership with the 25-year-old. The visitors were all set to post a mammoth total before Smith played a rash shot and gifted his wicket away.
And this did not go well with Hussain, who criticized the mode and the timing of the Smith's dismissal. The 57-year-old questioned how Smith got out, while also adding about the problems he thinks there are in the English side. He further questioned the Ben Stokes-led side’s approach throughout the series and how they have failed to read the game.
“Was it England’s worst dismissal of the series? It was right up there. It was a really poor shot, not just because of the execution and because Labuschagne was bowling, but the timing- and that is the problem with this England side. It was nine minutes until Lunch and five overs until the new ball. Just survive and go again. They have a lot of talent but don’t seem to lock on to the situation of the game,” Hussain told via Sky Sports after Day 2.
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The Epsom-born played a decent knock of 46 runs and stitched a solid partnership with Root before departing. He was given a lifeline after being caught on 22, thanks to Cameron Green’s no-ball. The Englishman looked all set for a big knock before he decided to go over extra cover off the Aussie part-timer, eventually holing out to Boland.
Meanwhile, Root scored his first-ever red-ball century on Australian soil and his second century overall in this series. He completed his 41st ton with a straight drive, and in the process equalled Ricky Ponting’s tally of 41 centuries. The Yorkshire batter is now only behind Jacques Kallis (45) and Sachin Tendulkar's (51) tally.
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England got bundled out for 384 runs in their first inning. Australia, too, enjoyed its outing with the bat, as they scored 166 for 2 before the end of the day’s play. Travis Head remained not out on 91, whereas Stokes picked up both the wickets.
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