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[Watch] Steve Smith Suffers Another Brainfade Moment, Ft. Debutant Ben Sears

Steve Smith was distraught after getting dismissed lbw (Twitter)Steve Smith was distraught after getting dismissed lbw (Twitter)

Australian batting mainstay, Steve Smith's challenging stint as an opener in Test cricket persisted, with the seasoned batsman departing for just 11 runs on Day 1 of the second Test at Christchurch's Hagley Oval.

This Steve Smith dismissal occurred after Australia had bowled out New Zealand for a modest total of 162 courtesy of Josh Hazlewood, who delivered a pace bowling clinic to claim 5-31 from his 13.2 overs, marking his 12th five-wicket haul in the format. 

This stellar performance from Hazlewood steered New Zealand to their lowest Test total at Hagley Oval.


NZ vs AUS: Steve Smith's poor run of form continued in Christchurch

Yet, amidst this bowling masterclass, it was BlackCaps debutant Ben Sears who grabbed headlines by sending Steve Smith back to the pavilion in a moment of what can only be described as a "brain fade."

Sears, in just his third ball in Test cricket, managed to lure Steve Smith into a fatal misjudgment. 

The Australian, known for his meticulous technique, was bamboozled by a wobbled-seam delivery that darted back sharply after pitching, hitting him on the inner half of the back foot. 

Smith, after his usual shuffle, attempted to leave the ball but was caught off-guard as it thudded into his pads, leading to an LBW dismissal.

The decision, initially met with disbelief by Smith, was reviewed, only to confirm the umpire's call, leaving Smith to trudge off the field in dismay.

Watch: Steve Smith lbw wicket off Ben Sears

Adding salt to the wound, this dismissal comes on the back of Smith's fall to his lowest ICC world Test rankings points tally in a decade. 

Dropping below 800 points for the first time since 2014, Smith's recent performances, including a duck in the second innings of the Wellington Test, have seen him slide to third in the Test batting rankings, trailing behind England's Joe Root and the comfortable leader, New Zealand's Kane Williamson.

As the match progressed, fellow quick Matt Henry also made his mark by sending Usman Khawaja back to the pavillion, contributing to Australia's shaky start. 

However, it was the partnership between Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green that provided a semblance of stability, knitting together a 49-run stand for the third wicket before Henry struck again to dismiss Green.

At the time of writing this article, Australia 124/4 after 36 overs, trailing by 38 runs as they look to overtake New Zealand’s total.