Aaron Finch is struggling. It's the World Cup semi-final, and he's languishing on just 19 from 34 deliveries, batting well below his belligerent best. The ball is not hitting the middle of the bat, which feels like a toothpick in his hands. All he can do is dig in, and get down to the other end, to relative safety. But singles have been hard to come by...
The wily Mohit Sharma, one of India's best bowlers of the tournament, is bowling the 13th over. He delivers a well-pitched slower ball, the off-cutter. Finch defends, solidly, out into covers. He immediately calls "yes!", and takes off for the run. The athletic Indian fielders, sensing the nervousness of the Victorian, swoop like hungry raptors ready for the kill...
At the other end, Steven Smith could be forgiven for having a momentary lapse in concentration. After all, the 26-year old New South Welshman is playing in a World Cup semi-final at his home ground, the SCG; his second-last match of a cricketing summer that started way back in November 2014 (it is now the end of March 2015). In that time, he has lost one of his closest friends, Phillip Hughes, to a horrible accident, scored well in excess of 750 test match runs at an average of 128, while also captaining Australia in three tests. He's also aquired nearly 900 ODI runs in just 17 matches during this time. Not to mention winning the Allan Border Medal, Australian test cricketer of the year, and Australian ODI cricketer of the year along the way...
Instead, he is awake, as alert as ever, as mentally tough and together as they come. He bellows out "NO!", a commanding, piercing call. A call that oozes calmness and confidence, that no man would disobey. A call of a captain. Aaron Finch stops in his tracks, turns, and makes it back to the crease, as the Indian fielders rush in from all directions, hopeful for the run out. But it doesn't come. Finch and Smith go on to form a 182-run partnership. Australia win the match by 95 runs. Three days later, Australia win the World Cup.
And Steve Smith is there, in the final, to hit the winning runs. Michael Clarke, in his last ODI for Australia, had made a fluent 74, and put on 112 match World Cup winning-runs with Smith. But the time had come to pass the mantle on. Almost as if the script was written, Clarke chopped-on with just nine more needed. He hands the wheel to Steve Smith, his heir-apparent. Get comfortable, young man. This is what it feels like to sit on the throne. Enjoy it.
If any man deserves to hit the World Cup winning-runs, it's Steve Smith. From the darkest days of modern-Australian cricket back in 2013, to proving everyone wrong in the 18 months since, Steve Smith has, with his ungainly style and fidgety nature, inspired not only a nation of cricket followers to believe, but his own teammates as well. While Smith has been in the side, Australian cricket has gone from the depths and despair of the Homeworkgate incident in India, finishing last in their group in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, and loosing the Ashes 0-3 in the same year, to the highs of winning against the highly fancied South Africans in their own backyard, and smashing England 5-0 in the corresponding Ashes series. He's seen it all, while all the while maintaining his supreme form in the middle order, often looking like he's been playing for Australia all his life.
So it seems only fitting that the changing of the guard took place in the middle of the MCG on Sunday night. The old gave way to new. As Michael Clarke left with a tear in his eye, Steve Smith looked every bit a leader as he flicked the ball off his hip for the winning runs. It could just have easily been Allan Border, Stephen Waugh or Ricky Ponting out there, calmly guiding Australia to yet another World Cup victory. Of course, Smith has dabbled in captaincy at the highest level, leading the Australian test team in three matches in the summer gone. He was successful, albeit conservative, not wanting to undo all the hard work of Michael Clarke before him. The calmness of his leadership was immediately evident, and it's only a matter of time until the flair and flamboyancy of his batting shines through in his captaincy.
As the changing of the guard takes place, as Australian cricket transitions into the next chapter, and with the world of cricket constantly evolving at a rapid rate of knots, Steve Smith will be there, in the thick of it all. And if Australia is to continue its assertive, winning ways, Smith will be the one leading the charge, flamboyant, inspiring, alert, and as mentally together as they come.
