Harris shines as Smith makes low-key return to action

Steve Smith endured a minor mishap on his return to competitive cricket in Australia's tour match against Derbyshire, but sustained only a fleeting bruise to his pride and no damage to his person.

Smith wasn't required to bat as Australia openers Usman Khawaja (18 not out) and Marcus Harris (52 not out) took their team to stumps at 0-77, after Michael Neser (3-46) and Mitchell Starc (3-31) fired out the home team for 172.

That total would have been demonstrably skinnier had 24-year-old South African Leus du Plooy not compiled a classy 86 while no other player in the Derbyshire line-up reached 30.

Image Id: 3F26380143BB48F0B205648B8D49A5A3 Image Caption: Du Plooy on his way to a fine 86 // Getty

They were undone by a combination of Neser's clever swing with the new ball, and a trademark burst of brilliance from Starc who snared three wickets in an over after battling to hit top pace earlier in the day.

The lack of penetration Starc found with the new ball was partly explained by a slow pitch at Derby, whose county ground offers vast space in an expansive outfield into which Smith can be expected to work the ball at will when he takes his turn at bat.

As it was, his only appearance at the crease on Thursday came when he was called on by skipper Khawaja to bowl the over prior to lunch, a moment for which the 30-year-old had clearly not limbered.

 

To ready himself for a bowling stint, Smith rolled out a warm-up leg-spinner that flew a metre or two over the head of Peter Siddle nearby at mid-off and rolled to the boundary rope from where Siddle – in gales of laughter – had to retrieve it.

Smith's first genuine delivery was a similarly loopy full-toss, at which point the former skipper – who made his Test debut in 2010 primarily as a leg-break bowler – reverted to off-spinners for all-but the final ball of his sole over.

But at least the 2,000 or more spectators who had attended day one could report they saw Smith in action, albeit not in the manner they had envisaged.

Image Id: 27B8CD4FF2C44472A018739880A2B7BE Image Caption: Steve Smith returns to the field // Getty

The genteel but informal tradition of host teams in tour matches granting their visitors' wishes regardless of how the coin toss turns out was quickly revealed as not applicable in Derby.

As fans from across Derbyshire and reporters from throughout England arrived at the County Ground in the expectation of seeing Smith bat, local skipper Billy Godleman sent Australia into the field.

As if in retribution for his impertinence, Godleman was then dismissed for a seven-ball duck when he edged Neser to Matthew Wade at first slip.

Image Id: A567DE79807C4C3A9310703D89BC8215 Image Caption: Neser struck early // Getty

When Derbyshire's number three Anuj Dal, a former England under-19 representative, was caught behind from Neser's next ball there was whisperings that Smith might indeed be at the crease soon after lunch.

But from 2-0, the home team rallied on a flat pitch and against a ball that was offering few tricks in stiff south-easterly breeze as du Plooy and Godleman's opening partner Luis Reece added a largely untroubled 66 for the third wicket.

There were a few occasions when Starc flashed the ball past the groping edge of a bat, and Siddle (0-3 from his first five overs) and Mitchell Marsh (0-9 from four) proved difficult to get away.

It was the return of Neser, from the city end rather than the racecourse end where he had begun the day, who again secured the breakthrough when Reece punched a simple catch to point.

Image Id: 5D1F1F27C2534866AEE826E337C6E590 Image Caption: Justin Langer and co watch on in Derby // Getty

By lunch, it seemed that Smith's innings would be delayed until at least the following morning with Derbyshire having rebuilt after the early clatter to 3-71.

It was almost against the run of play when Alex Hughes aimed a pull shot at a leg-break from Marnus Labuschagne that pitched slightly fuller than the 27-year-old had judged, and Marsh plucked a strong reflex catch above his head at mid-wicket.

Apart from the warm applause by the sizeable crowd at Derby - where ticket sales had spiked in the immediate aftermath of England's one-wicket win at Headingley last Sunday - for du Plooy's half-century, the wheels quickly came adrift for the home side.

And it was a typically transformative spell from Starc that knocked them loose.

The left-armer had not appeared to find top gear during his seven overs prior to lunch, and in his initial efforts after the break as 23-year-old keeper Harvey Hosein swung him away through the leg side multiple times.

As Starc pondered his next move while catching his breath at fine leg, a bank of dark clouds blew in from the south and emblematically announced the storm that was to hit Derbyshire's middle-order.

As du Plooy began to contemplate his 11th first-class century, he was rendered a spectator at the non-striker's end as Starc grabbed 3-0 in the space of a single, devastating over.

Image Id: 14E0471C302044A985C871B886B9D4B0 Image Caption: Three wickets in an over for Starc // Getty

Seamer Matt Critchley began the procession when he was caught behind by fill-in keeper Alex Carey for 11, and then teenage quick Alfie Gleadall's stumps were splayed from the first delivery he faced, but seemingly didn't see.

Four balls later, veteran Tony Palladino was sent packing in similar circumstances to his much more junior bowling partner and from a finely balanced 5-151, Derbyshire were in tatters at 8-151.

Their sole hope of salvaging that position was du Plooy who found an ally in Afghanistan-born spinner Hamidullah Qadri, with the pair adding 21 for the ninth wicket as du Plooy moved closer to his ton.

But on 86, he dead-batted a back-of-a-length ball from Siddle into the pitch, and couldn't believe his misfortune as it rolled past his legs and dislodged the leg bail.

And the South African hardly had time to remove his pads before Qadri holed out to backward point off Labuschagne, and Australia began their pursuit of 172.

With Smith not required to bat, until at least Friday.

Image Id: A2C556F5675A4F808910D193EB4D5B5C Image Caption: Captain Khawaja finished the day unbeaten on 18 // Getty

Australia XI: Usman Khawaja (c), Marcus Harris, Mitch Marsh, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Cameron Bancroft, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk),  Michael Neser, Peter Siddle, Mitch Starc,

Derbyshire XI: Billy Godleman (c), Luis Reece, Leus du Plooy, Alex Hughes, Matt Critchley, Harvey Hosein (wk), Anuj Dal, Alfie Gleadall, Hamidullah Qadri, Tony Palladino, Dustin Melton

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: England defeat Australia by one wicket at Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval