After just over half of the scheduled overs were bowled on day one of the fourth Ashes Test between England and Australia, rain delays continued to have an effect on day two.
The players were forced off multiple times due to the rain and Steve Smith was keen to leave the field every time the rain returned.
Midway through the 62nd over, a brief shower saw Smith start to leave the field before the umpires had decided whether to stop play.
Speaking on Fox Cricket, former England captain Michael Vaughan was critical of Smith, saying: "What can’t be right though is that Steve Smith started to walk off.
"I don’t think that’s right that a player should be walking off until the umpires say. If it’s looking really gloomy over the back, of course you go off.
"But when it’s like this and you know it’s going to be a couple of minutes and now the players go into the dressing room, the umpires will have to go back out to check and then they’ll have to go into the dressing room to tell the captains, it’s just time taken out of the game that doesn’t need to happen."
Just one over later, another shower started and Smith once again sprinted off the field, making it all the way to the dressing room this time.
England's players, however, remained on the field and the rain cleared very quickly, prompting umpire Paul Reiffell to give Smith a warning.
"You can‘t just keep running on and off," Reiffel said.
Former Australia batter Mark Waugh questioned why Smith was so keen to leave the field, labelling it "ridiculous".
"If you’re a batsman you’d be happy to stay out there," Waugh told Fox Cricket. "The ball can get a little bit damp, it might get a bit softer. You get into a better rhythm for a starter.
"He’s got plenty of bats, he doesn’t have to worry about the bat getting damp ... it looks like he’s in the middle of a snow storm.
"There‘s not even enough rain to wet the roses. ... it’s ridiculous."
