The Ashes: Steve Smith Suffers A Hefty Blow On Fiery Perth Pitch

The WACA Ground at Perth is known to all for the bounce it can generate at times and on this occasion it caught the Australian captain Steve Smith napping. England fast bowler Craig Overton used his height to good effect as he pitched it back of a length and the ball just kept rising from the good length spot, taking Smith by surprise. To his credit, Smith played it well at the end by using soft hands and also had the presence of mind to stop the ball with the bat that could have gone back to the stumps after the Australian captain took the bottom hand off the handle in his attempt to keep the ball down.

Bit happening there on the final ball of the session! Australia 2-88 at tea: https://t.co/57Bmg3zS3P #Ashes pic.twitter.com/KQgAhFpuy3

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 15, 2017

The incident happened on the last ball of the 26th over, at the stroke of tea that prompted the England captain Joe Root to come and check whether Smith was fine or not.

The Australian captain was again in his elements as he scored an unbeaten 92 at the end of the second day's play. England would look to take the first innings lead after being bowled out for 403.

Dawid Malan got to his maiden century in style on the first day's play while Jonny Bairstow brought up his fourth century before the visitors were bowled out in the morning session of play on the second day.

Australia are 203 for 3 at stumps and trail by 200 runs as Overton returned with figures of 2 for 46 at the end of the day.

England struck early as David Warner (22) and Cameron Bancroft (25) were dismissed cheaply before Usman Khawaja (50) got together with Smith to resurrect the Australian innings. Shaun Marsh (7) and Smith are the two overnight not out batters for the hosts.