Smith's weaknesses will emerge: Swann

Retired England spinner Graeme Swann has criticised the technique of Steven Smith and suggested the world’s number one batsman holds no fear for Alastair Cook’s side.

Swann, who retired midway through the 2013-14 Ashes – just as Smith was in the middle of a run of three centuries in six Tests against the Old Enemy – dismissed the right-hander three times from 22 innings.

Since the end of that Ashes campaign, Smith has taken his game to a new level, scoring six more centuries, six fifties and averaging 93.43 across 11 Tests.

Only Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara (1,679 runs in 12 matches) has managed more runs in the same period than Smith’s 1,495, however Swann believes the 26-year-old has a flawed technique and his weaknesses will be exposed against a swinging ball.

Speaking with The Guardian, Swann said he was surprised at Smith’s ascension to the top of the Test rankings.

“Yeah, because I didn’t think he was a great player,” he said. “I still don’t think he’s got a great technique.

“He must have surprised himself, as well as everyone else, with his output.

“The trick for him is to try to keep that going. Whether he can, time will tell. I don’t think he’ll score runs at three if it’s swinging.

“Weakness will emerge with Steve Smith. He’s not like a Steve Waugh – a nugget with no obvious ways of getting him out. I hope for England’s sake that he’s a flash in the pan.

“He doesn’t strike fear in you like the Aussies used to, with a Matthew Hayden or an Adam Gilchrist.”

Swann also referred to a tweet posted by cricket.com.au following Australia’s series clean sweep over West Indies on Monday morning (AEST) to further reiterate his point that Smith held no fear for England’s players.

“Cricket Australia put a tweet out the other day saying ‘See you soon, @englandcricket … ’ with a picture of Steve Smith up close,” he said.

“Whether it’s supposed to be intimidating or not … but it wasn’t. Had that been 2004 and a close-up picture of Matt Hayden, opening bowlers would genuinely have been going ‘oh f-ck’.

“They’d have been losing sleep over it. But Steve Smith … he still looks … Smithy.”

Smith first played cricket in England as a teenager in 2007 with a Surrey Second XI, impressing as much with his leg-spin as his batting, and returned three years later for a test debut against Pakistan. 

In 2013, he played all five Ashes Tests, scoring 345 runs at 38.33, including his maiden hundred in the final match of the series - an unbeaten 138 at The Oval.

During an interview with ESPN in April, Smith said he was excited about getting another opportunity to perform in English conditions. 

“From my point of view I can’t wait to get over there and play another Ashes in their conditions,” he said. “After beating them so convincingly in Australia it’s going to be nice to go into their backyard and if we continue to play the same way we’ve played over the last 12-18 months, I don’t think they’ll come close to us to be honest.”

Swann also suggested that one-day supremo Mitchell Starc had usurped Mitchell Johnson – who took 37 wickets in the last Ashes series – as the most dangerous player in Australia’s squad.

Given Australia’s glut of fast-bowling talent, Starc is not guaranteed a starting berth in the XI when the first Test gets underway at Cardiff on July 8, yet Swann insisted that, if in form, Starc would be too much for England.

“(Johnson’s) not the Mitchell to worry about,” he added. “Mitchell Starc is above and beyond the best match-winning player they’ve got at the minute.

“Forget about the batsmen. If Mitchell Starc bowls well, I don’t think England have got any hope of winning the Ashes. If they nullify him in some way, then they’ve got a chance.”