Australia captain Steve Smith and England pacer Jofra Archer found themselves in a fiery face-off during the dying stages of the second Ashes Test on Sunday, a contest already drifting towards an inevitable Australian win.
A clip shared by cricket.com.au captured the exchange: 'Bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion,' Smith snapped after Archer let him know he wasn’t easing up despite the situation.
Archer, bowling with venom, zeroed in on Smith, a batter he has never dismissed, and the two exchanged sharp words. The tension bubbled over in the ninth over of Australia’s chase when Smith glanced a boundary off his hips. Archer didn’t take kindly to it, and the verbal volleys began.
Smith’s pull shot off the next over only seemed to needle Archer further. The England quick hurled a bumper touching 150 km/h, then marched down the pitch for another word when Smith failed to connect with his attempted uppercut.
The Australian skipper responded by cashing in, taking 10 runs off the next two balls, including a cleanly struck six, and followed it up with another brief exchange.
Australia wrapped up the match in the very next over, Smith sealing the eight-wicket win, and a 2-0 series lead, by launching Gus Atkinson over the leg side.
England had earlier mustered only a 64-run lead in their second innings. While they removed Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne early, Smith and Jake Weatherald shut the door firmly, with the captain finishing it in style.