Share

Smith immediately thought of Hughes tragedy after Archer blow

accreditation
Steve Smith (Getty)
Steve Smith (Getty)

Cape Town - Australia's Steve Smith says he immediately thought of the death of former team-mate Phil Hughes in the moments following the blow he received from Jofra Archer in the second Ashes Test at Lord's. 

Smith, 80* at the time, received a blow to the neck from a venomous Archer bouncer that saw him drop to the ground before leaving the field. 

He returned to bat just 45 minutes later and added another 12 runs before being dismissed for 92, but delayed concussion symptoms meant that he played no further part in the Test while he was also ruled out of the third Test at Headingley last week. 

The Archer incident, because of where the ball hit Smith, was scarily similar to the blow that killed Hughes in 2014.

In an interview with Cricinfo, Smith acknowledged that Hughes entered his mind immediately after getting hit. 

"I had a few things running through my head, particularly where I got hit, just a bit of past came up, if you know what I mean, from a few years ago," said Smith.

"That was probably the first thing I thought about."

Smith added that in the days that followed, the symptoms left him feeling like he was suffering from a hangover. 

The former Australian captain is expected to have recovered in time for the fourth Test in Manchester from September 4.

The series is currently tied at 1-1. 

Compiled by: Lloyd Burnard

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1813 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1769 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1075 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 457 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 185 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE