The year of Steve Smith lost after the balloon manipulation scandal

On February 28 of this year, Steve Smith sent his longtime director, Warren Craig, a text with a video.

"Should I post this?" Smith asked. The sequence he was talking about was that of hitting him in the inside nets at Cricket NSW headquarters at SCG.

Nothing special about this, if it's that same day that Smith was deprived of a corset that he wore since the surgery he suffered in mid-January. Craig was under the impression that Smith was not supposed to pick up a stick until a week after he left.

"This is not unusual for him," said Peter, Smith's father, about the immediate return of the modern master to the practice, whether against the advice of a doctor or not.

Smith duly posted the video on Instagram, a short sequence of him facing a few deliveries out of the bowling game, the first time he had been batting for nearly two months. This is only a few weeks before the expiry of its ban to play for Australia.

Viewed more than 1.1 million times, it was three hits that he wanted to make heard worldwide. And as it turned out it was a pretty important session.

After his magnificent twins during the first ash test at Edgbaston, Smith revealed that it was the day his elbow had been released when he had rediscovered his love for the sport, claiming that when he physically could not hit a bat, there were times when he "I did not know if I was going to play cricket again".

Always pbadionate about gambling, Smith's confession was a surprise to many. But those closest to him found that being injured, in addition to being suspended on all Sydney crickets and the Twenty20 international circuit, had an impact.

"I think his biggest problem was that he was bored," Smith said. "He likes to do things, he likes to play cricket and he was not able to do it the level he wanted. I think he was probably bored a bit with what's going on.

"When he had his elbow [injury] he could not play golf, he could not play anything.

"It was the biggest problem, he could not do anything."

The Hilton hotel at the Ageas Bowl, outside Southampton, has only five floors, but the elevator ride was long enough for an opportunistic client to go on strike. When the doors opened on the ground floor and he entered, he did not immediately realize that he was sharing the elevator with one of the best drummers in the world.

When the coin was finally released, he took his phone in his pocket, positioned himself next to Smith in an instant, his right arm extended, and shot a picture of them, the elevator being not yet at level two, where one or two seconds later, the guest came down. He had not asked for a photo, but despite the end of a long day of practice on the ground, the hotel is sitting next to it, forcing Smith with a smile anyway.

I'm not sure he's making up for lost time, I think he's just playing his game. He's here to score points. If he has the opportunity, he will enjoy it.

Peter Smith

An unsolicited selfie in a hotel elevator is just pbading through Johannesburg Airport, as it was last March after being sent home from South Africa. But this was indicative of the blinding glare over Smith, who became increasingly fired after the balloon falsification scandal in Cape Town, during his suspension and the approach of his match. 39, an international day and World Cup returns and in the ashes.

Rather than avoid him, Smith kissed him.

Admittedly, the attitude to come that night near Southampton a fortnight ago would not shock the officials and players of the Sutherland Cricket Club, where Smith came forward last summer in the sanctions imposed by Cricket Australia.

Smith had already been a teenage superstar at the club, but had not appeared for them for four years.

"I met him about half an hour before the first training session to give him his equipment," said Tom Iceton, long-time treasurer of the Sutherland club. "And he goes to the fourth and fifth grade, saying," Hi, I'm Steve. " All these children knew exactly who he was, but he spoke to them saying, "Nice to meet you." "

This was not an isolated case. "Every year, we have a cap presentation on Friday afternoon before the start of representative competitions," said Iceton.

"We normally ask a first year captain or someone to come and introduce them to all children, boys and girls. Last season, Steve Smith did it. All of these kids arrived, probably expecting someone they did not really know to introduce them to, and they all took a photo with Steve Smith presenting them with their hats. "

Smith would play 15 times for Sutherland in the first-year Sydney competition and in the Kingsgrove Sports Twenty20 Cup between September and December, in the suburbs around Sydney and in a T20 practice match at North Dalton Park in Wollongong.

Ten days before Christmas, he played against St George at Hurstville Oval against St George at Oval. After his stay at Bradmanesque in Edgbaston, you have the impression that those who saw him in such an intimate setting can consider themselves lucky in the years to come.

The young teammates who won the T20 Grand Final with him at SCG, including Steve Waugh's son Austin, will certainly not forget him.

"[Sutherland captain and Sydney Sixers bowler] Ben Dwarshuis could not be captain at the finals because he and Watto [Shane Watson, also a Sutherland player] were playing a Big Bash training match between the Sixers and Thunder at the Showground, "said Iceton.

"So, Smithy was a captain that day, which was very nice for most people because he had never been prime minister with us before. He sort of ran the celebrations as to where the boys would go next. He was with them all the way and they had a good night. He made his way. He was great.

It was in the SCG T20 final that Smith injured his elbow while traveling to Bangladesh a few weeks later for the first division of the country before retiring when the injury worsened. more seriously.

As he was still recovering from the injury and surgery a few months later, that did not end his badociation with the club. While Steve Rixon, a first-clbad mentor, had signed with Sri Lanka as a field coach, Sutherland had no coach for the T20 Premier National Championship in Adelaide at the start of the season. March.

Matt Duff, president of Iceton and Sutherland, had an idea. What about Smith as a coach?

"I sent [Smith] a text saying "do you want to come as a coach?", said Iceton.

"After about five minutes, he said," Yes, happy with. "He came and was our coach, he had a great time with the boys, things that I do not think people know a lot. "

Peter Smith freely admits that the comparisons made between his son and Bradman are surrealistic.

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He does not, however, subscribe to the theory that the 30-year-old returned hungry to make up for lost time after missing nine attempts during his suspension.

"I read that," says Smith. "I had just read an article half an hour ago about that. I'm not sure he's making up for lost time, I think he's just playing his game. He's here to score points. If he has the opportunity, he will enjoy it. "

What he certainly does not dispute is the insatiable work ethic of the former captain, who has made as many waves in England as his heroic exploits. He should know.

"It was always like that, even when he was young, we went to the park every night for an hour. That's what he likes to do … the way he owns himself, unmotivated, but disconnects himself, "Smith said.

"I can not throw because I hurt my arm because I'm doing too much, but I was feeding balls in the bowling machine for him at times. [during the ban]. "

Dad is now on his way to see Smith and his sister, who works in London, before the second test at Lord's next week.

And the man who was standing next to his son at his emotionally press conference at Sydney Airport 16 months ago, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, could not be more proud of where it is now.

"I was there last time at Lord's when he scored his double ton, which was pretty good," he said.

"We'll see what happens, I'll enjoy whatever happens."