How Smith dismissal highlights the "very worst of Bazball"

Nicholas Quinlan • January 5th, 2026 10:56 pm

The SEN Cricket team has given their thoughts on Jamie Smith’s controversial dismissal during Day 2 of the Fifth Ashes Test at the SCG.

After England lost two quick wickets to begin the day, this would see the 25-year-old come out to the crease.

Alongside Joe Root, the two were building a strong partnership which was nearing 100, with the England wicketkeeper managing to make it all the way to 46 and looked set to continue into the second session.

But instead, Smith played a mistimed cut shot, which saw the ball head towards deep extra cover and was subsequently caught by Scott Boland, which gifted Marnus Labuschagne his first wicket of the innings.

And in commentary, SEN Cricket’s Adam Collins made his feelings known about the dismissal.

“That is one of the most abysmal dismissals you’ll see,” Collins said on air.

"That dismissal is the very, very worst of the Bazball generation in terms of that inability to show any degree of cricket IQ in moments like that."

And the reaction would continue through to the post-game, with Simon Katich expressing his frustration with the failure to learn from previous matches.

“Just the lack of awareness,” Katich lamented post-game.

“10 minutes till lunch, he put 94 on (with Root). Like value the partnership, value the fact you’re out there with England’s greatest Test run scorer in Joe Root, who you could tell, he was in for the long haul just like he was for Brisbane.

“They haven’t learnt from the previous mistakes in the previous Tests.

“Jamie Smith is a good, young player. He can hit the ball; he’s got beautiful timing.

“But he’s got to realise really quickly that you can’t take these things for granted because he hasn’t had a great series, averaging 19.

“What happens if there is a change of hierarchy and they say, ‘Nup, we want the best keeper, and that’s Ben Foakes’, and then he’s gone because he hasn’t made the most of these Tests here?”

While Damien Fleming admitted that the method of dismissal was sadly an expected one.

“The worst thing you could say is (that) I wasn’t surprised,” Fleming stated.

The Sydney Test continues tomorrow with the SCG set to be covered in pink for Jane McGrath Day.

SEN’s coverage of Day 3 will begin from 8am AEDT with The New Ball before heading to the pre-game show at 9am with the first ball at 10am.