Craig Overton convinced England have got under Steve Smith's skin after claiming Australia captain's wicket

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Tom Collomosse2 December 2017

Craig Overton believes England have unsettled Steve Smith after claiming the Australia captain as his first Test wicket.

The debutant revealed he was being taunted by Smith for his “slow” bowling but Overton had the last laugh when he bowled Smith – the world’s No1 Test batsman - for 40.

England feel aggrieved at the way Smith and his team behaved in victory in the First Test at Brisbane, and Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson fired numerous verbal volleys in Smith’s direction, twice causing umpire Aleem Dar to step in.

In the first day/night Test in Ashes history, England surprisingly chose to bowl after winning the toss, and Australia will resume 209 for four on day two – but whatever happens in the rest of this match, Overton will never forget this day.

Overton celebrates claiming Smith's wicket
Getty Images

“Smith was telling me I was bowling slowly so it was nice that I beat him for pace,” Overton said. “I didn’t say anything back to him.

“I don’t know what the other players said to him as I was fielding on the boundary, but it looks like it got under his skin, even though he still got 40. The way he was leaving the ball was quite exaggerated. He didn’t really do that in Brisbane, so maybe he was doing it on purpose to come back at us.”

Both Smith and David Warner, Australia’s other star batsman, were dismissed for less than 50, with Warner making 47. Usman Khawaja did score a half-century but was out soon after doing so, caught at gully off Anderson for 53. England have earmarked this match as one of the most winnable on tour but they need to strike early with the new ball when they resume.

Smith gave as good as he got in the verbal jousts with Anderson and Broad, which is unusual for a batsman, but Khawaja said: “The man averages 61. He can do what he wants. Not many players in the world do that.

“There was banter from both sides but it didn’t seem too much out of the ordinary. It was good Ashes cricket and it was entertaining, that’s all. It didn’t look like it distracted Steve in any way.”

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