Australia batter Steve Smith has provided an update on the injury he sustained during the ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa, along with a prognosis for his return to international cricket.
Smith dislocated his right little finger while attempting to take a catch off Temba Bavuma on the third day of the match at Lord’s and was subsequently sent to the hospital.
The 36-year-old has avoided surgery and could now feature in Australia’s upcoming tour of the West Indies for the three-match Test series.
“I will be in a splint for eight weeks now and I may be able to play with it in a couple of weeks,” Smith told the ICC website after Australia’s five-wicket loss to South Africa.
“It will depend on my functionality and what I am able to do, so it was probably the best result I could have hoped for.”
Smith’s dropped catch cost Australia heavily as Bavuma, who was on two during that chance, went on to score 66 and in a match-winning partnership with opener Aiden Markram.
“The plan was to stand pretty close and I lost sight of it with the angle that Mitchell Starc was bowling and it kind of went inside Bavuma’s hip and I didn’t quite see it until really late and it kind of dipped on me a little bit late too as well.
“It was tricky, it didn’t go in my hand very well and fortunately there is no break there and it just split the skin and dislocated it which made me feel pretty ill at that stage.”
Injuries at Lord’s, however, is nothing new for Smith. “I have a love/hate relationship with this place now,” Smith stated.
“I have had some good memories here and some not so good ones as well. Getting hit in the head by Jofra (Archer) in 2019 and now having my digit knocked off out here yesterday as well.
“But it’s a wonderful place to play cricket and I have enjoyed it here and it was a real good game of cricket again.”