Former Australia skipper Steve Smith made a sparkling 85 on his return to one-day grade cricket in Sutherland’s clash against Mosman on Saturday.
In what was the batsman’s first innings on Australian soil ever since he was handed a one-year ban by Cricket Australia, Smith fell just 15 runs shy of a century at the Glenn McGrath Oval in Sydney.
Smith and David Warner both turned out for their respective grade-cricket clubs on the weekend with the latter smashing a ton to help Randwick-Petersham chase down St. George’s total of 278.
Smith, meanwhile, was dropped early in his innings before he brought up a fine half-century off 62 balls.
Both Smith and Warner had been handed identical one-year bans from international and domestic cricket for their roles in the ball-tampering episode which occurred during Australia’s tour of South Africa earlier this year.
Warner’s ton helped Randwick-Petersharm chase down 278.
The bans of the former captain and vice-captain of the Australian team will come to an end on March 25, 2019 and they are expected to be reinstated into the international squad in time for the World Cup in England.
Smith’s return to the grade cricket saw a crowd of reportedly over 1,000 turn up at the Glenn McGrath Oval. His return to cricket on home soil was lauded by his Sutherland team-mate and former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson.
“The support he (Smith) got today shows everyone makes mistakes and that people do forgive,” Watson was quoted as saying by the Canberra Times.
“How Steve has handled it is how you’d expect from someone who cherishes playing for Australia; appreciates the privilege that he’s had. This is just another step along the way for him most importantly getting back in the Australian team,” he added.
Despite not playing international cricket since April this year, Smith remains ranked at No2 among Test batsmen.