Wherever Craig Overton’s career takes him from here, he will always have Steve Smith. At the home of Sir Donald Bradman, and on a day when cricket drew more spectators here than ever before, he made Australia’s modern-day equivalent his maiden Test wicket.
Told he was making his debut an hour from the start of play, before being presented with his cap by the former off-spinner John Emburey, the 23-year-old – one half of Somerset’s seam bowling twins – was left in something of a daze after breaking the defence of the Australia captain on 40.
It was just after the dinner break when Overton struck, teasing the pink Kookaburra on to Smith’s stumps via pad to ensure that, after 415 balls without any joy this series through his unbeaten 141 in Brisbane, England had finally seen the back of the world’s No1 batsman.
At the close on day one Overton beamed like the Zing bails he had earlier lit up, revealing during a short press conference – one that ensured England’s players would beat their curfew – how some of the on-field chitchat had made it all the more sweet.
“It was a pretty nice one,” he said. “There was a plan to go straight at him. We thought we could keep him quiet doing that. Then one went through him a little bit quicker and beat him for pace. He was saying I was slow, so it was nice that I beat him for pace.”
England appeared intent on unsettling Smith at the crease, with verbals flying from Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, and the umpires, Aleem Dar and Chris Gaffaney, having to step in on the odd occasion to try and temper what is already a fractious series.
Overton said: “I was on the boundary so I don’t know too much. It looked like they got under his skin, but he still got 40. It was nice to get him in the end.”
Asked in what way Smith appeared to be irked, Overton replied: “Just the way he left the ball, almost exaggerating a little bit. He didn’t do that in the first Test at Brisbane. I don’t know if he was doing that to wind ourselves up a little bit.”
Being the junior member of the side, and making his debut on the same ground as the suspended Ben Stokes four years ago, Overton could not be further removed from the brains trust. He did, however, explain his understanding as to why the captain, Joe Root, opted to bowl first.
Overton said: “This morning there were overcast skies, so we tried to make sure we capitalised on that. The first session didn’t go to plan, but they didn’t get away from us. They’re not too far ahead of the game so if we can get early wickets, we’re confident.”
Usman Khawaja, who made 53 for Australia and did not quite manage to capitalise on the life given to him on 44 when dropped at long leg by Mark Stoneman, was not surprised by the call and said the pink ball and a soft surface were behind the slow run-rate. The left-hander said: “I had a feeling they might bowl first. With it overcast, day one, the pink ball – their bowlers do thrive in those conditions. But whatever you do – bat first, bowl first – you have to do it well and we’re pretty happy.”
On England’s running battle with Smith, Khawaja said: “I couldn’t hear a lot of it. It looked like a bit of banter going on. It just switched Steve Smith on a bit. I wasn’t sure to let him go or bring him back but he was enjoying it. The man averages 61, he can do what he wants.”
