Australia’s star batsman Steve Smith will return to action on Thursday after missing the third Ashes Test because of concussion and laughed off the claim England pace bowler Jofra Archer was his nemesis. Smith, who has been cleared to play in the tour match with county side Derbyshire, suffered the concussion in the first innings of the drawn second Test at Lord’s when he was hit by a 92mph Archer bouncer. However, the 30-year-old former Australia captain — who has scored two centuries and 92 in three innings in his first Test series since completing a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal — told cricket.com.au he did not consider Archer to be his bogeyman.
“There’s been a bit of talk that he’s got the wood over me, but he hasn’t actually got me out,” said Smith.
“He hit me on the head on a wicket that was a bit up and down at Lord’s.
“He actually didn’t get me out. All the other bowlers have had more success against me, I daresay.
“I’ve faced them a bit more, but they’ve all got me out a lot more.”
“If they’re bowling up there it means they can’t nick me off, or hit me on the pad or hit the stumps,” Smith said.
“With the Dukes ball I don’t know, it’s an interesting ploy.
“So we’ll see what happens.”
