sport news PAUL NEWMAN: Counties should snub Steve Smith and help England's cause of ... trends now
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So, Steve Smith wants to come to England early next summer and play three County Championship matches to warm-up for the Ashes. Or maybe four if he feels the need for a bit of extra red-ball practice before the biggest Test series of them all.
That’s nice of him. Let’s roll out the welcome mat, just like we always seem to have done for the opposition ahead of big series so they can get used to those unique English conditions of the moving Dukes ball on sporting pitches.
Just like we did for up-and-coming batter Marnus Labuschagne when he warmed up for what became his starring role, initially as a concussion substitute for Smith, in the 2019 Ashes with a stint at Glamorgan. And how we did for Cameron Bancroft when he lined up for Durham before featuring in the first Test of that series.
Steve Smith wants to play three County Championship matches to warm-up for the Ashes
Smith (pictured, celebrating) wants to get some extra red ball practice ahead of the Ashes
Or, for once, maybe not. Maybe English cricket should think of itself and not give Australia’s best batter a helping hand before taking on a resurgent England side. Every county should say, ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ to Smith.
And not just Smith. Labuschagne will be back in Wales next summer warming up for the Ashes. It is said Usman Khawaja and Travis Head fancy county cricket, too, and it would