Ardent cricket fans know that the Ashes is one of the most heated rivalries in the world of cricket. For those who are not aware, the Ashes is a test series played between two of the best cricketing nations of all time: Australia and England. This year, the Ashes will be played in England, and like every other year, the anticipation is at an all-time high. The series will be played on England’s home turf this year, which further raises the stakes as the Aussies have not won a single test match against England on their home ground since 2001.
As a result, many Australian cricketers have already started to prepare wholeheartedly for the series. One thing is certain: this series means a great deal to cricket fans in both countries. Former Australian captain Steve Smith is perhaps taking the upcoming series the most seriously. As a result, he has reportedly embarked on a journey that he has never experienced before. According to reports, Steve Smith wants to play English county cricket in order to improve his performance in the longest format of the game. Sussex is said to be most eager to sign him. However, nothing has been finalized yet.
Steve Smith is reportedly in "advanced" talks with Sussex to play county cricket ahead of this summer's Ashes series and World Test Championship final. – via @WisdenCricket #SteveSmith #Ashes #AustraliaCricket
— AmerCric (@Amermalik12) January 14, 2023
England test captain Ben Stokes has said that he is happy to see that players like Steve Smith are coming to England to play county cricket. However, it also means that Australian players will get more preparation, and that is what concerns him. “I guess it’s good for the county game to see players of Steve’s caliber want to come over and play,” Stokes told reporters in December.
“But I don’t know.” I think it’s one of those situations where you’d probably prefer them not to get any game time out here before the Ashes.
Steve Smith has said that if things go as planned, then he might play 3-4 county matches before reporting to the national team ahead of the Ashes.
