Australian pacer Peter Siddle reminisced about his famous partnership with Steve Smith in 2019 at Edgbaston against England in the Ashes series ahead of Smith's 100th Test appearance.
Australia found themselves with a score of 122/8 on the opening day of the Ashes series, from this position Australia were bound to suffer a devastating loss. On that point, Siddle joined Steve Smith who was holding the front on his own, waiting for someone to come to his aid. Siddle revealed how he felt witnessing Smith's exceptional batting performance and his mindset during their crucial partnership.
"Batting with him at Edgbaston (in 2019) and just seeing first-hand the frame of mind that he gets into and the space that he's in when he's out in the middle, it's different. It just becomes all about batting," Siddle said to ESPNcricinfo.
"He just gets so focused that even the chats between overs were very limited. It was usually me doing the chatting and I think he just gets into a different place. Obviously, he feels comfortable in the way that he knows how to make runs, and it does feel like he's in a different place than all of us when he's out there batting.
"It just felt like he was at a different level in terms of his ability to understand how the game was being played and how he could go about it, and the rest of us just went on for the ride," Siddle signed off.
Siddle in his 11-year Test career, contributed 85 runs in 44 balls in an 88-run stand with Smith. Nathan Lyon then batted for another hour at No. 11, helping Smith and add 74 for the final wicket to help Australia post 284 after winning the toss.
Siddle also went on to reveal Smith's speciality that makes him such a nuisance for the bowlers.
"It's quite phenomenal to see how the game changes when he's out there. The confidence in the opposition definitely drops a lot when he's in, especially once he's been in probably for 20 balls. Initially, they probably think they're a chance but once he's locked in and that first little period is done the confidence in the whole group drops.
"They go to plan B, plan C and they just kept changing. He just goes about his business and I think that's probably the thing that makes him so great. Steve has that ability to continually play his way and it sort of draws teams into bowling in the end how he wants them to bowl, which I guess is why he's been so successful," Siddle signed off.
Smith will make his 100th appearance at Headingley on Thursday against England in the third Ashes Test.
