When Steve Smith sat down to talk to the media at the Gabba on Sunday, there was a palpable sense of relief. Wearing his cap low, his eyes blinking to adjust to the light and a half-smile on his face, the former Australian captain expressed his satisfaction with the tone and contribution he had made to the team.
Talking about his 101 in the third Test, Smith said: “It was nice to get into triple figures. It’s been a while. It was nice to contribute to the development of the team. It was difficult in the first few games. He had some good balls and got strangled in the leg in Adelaide. I’ve been hitting well for the last month. It was kind of sticking to your processes and believing that it would turn around. I had some luck at the beginning and I made the most of it.
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As for his attacking colleague, centurion Travis Head, Smith said: “If we can get around 30 overs when Travis comes on, it will make a big difference for the team. I think the seam will probably start to settle around 30 or 40 overs and the ball remains quite firm. And you see guys batting five, six and seven are able to get value from their shots. I’m lucky Travis and I were able to get up today.
Smith also talked about changing his batting stance. “I’ve changed my setup in virtually every match I’ve played in the last 15 years. I believe this is the best way to play on any surface. It’s quite a lively track. So I was slightly moving out of the crease, trying to get to the bowler, going through my stance but leaving my left leg open a little bit,” he said.
