Smith rubbishes Warne’s inflammatory chat

Australia batsman, and sometimes skipper, Steve Smith has rubbished the idea that coach Darren Lehmann has too much influence on the side, responding to former player Shane Warne's sensational comments.
Warne said on a radio show last week that Lehmann was too involved with the team's on-field tactics, and that it was actually Lehmann, and not Smith, who declared on the last day of the Boxing Day Test this year.
Smith said that call was his, but that Lehmann was in sight of the cameras and the field, and he also insisted that Michael Clarke now has full control of the side, Warne had also suggested that Clarke and Lehmann were not on good terms these days.
Smith said of the declaration: "I think Boof was sitting on the sideline where he tends to sit here and there to watch the cricket and I was up the top actually trying to call the guys in but they couldn't see me.
"He sort of just said 'look up there he's calling them in'. They showed him on the TV actually doing it, but I was up the top doing it. Yeah it was me."
When asked if the furore would affect the team during the World Cup, Smith added: "No I don't think so. Everyone that was playing that Test match knew what was going on, knew that I'd made that declaration.
"I think Boof has done a terrific job around the group as coach, he's done an outstanding job getting all the players together. We're in a good place.
"It's exclusively up to the captain what happens out there. (In) your breaks in play and stuff throughout Test matches and all that kind of thing he comes and gives a bit of what he thinks we can do in the next session and that kind of thing but the captain is the one that runs the ship."
Latest
-
News
Essex draw with Yorkshire as Sir Alastair Cook scores century in both innings
England’s leading Test run-scorer finished unbeaten on 102 at Chelmsford.
-
News
Surrey complete Northamptonshire win by innings and five runs inside three days
New Zealand all-rounder Colin De Grandhomme started the Northamptonshore rot.
-
News
His best position is at four – Ben Stokes moves Joe Root back to preferred spot
The new England Test skipper is already making his mark.
-
News
It was good fun – Ben Stokes enjoys record-breaking return to action with Durham
The newly-appointed England captain struck 17 sixes as he made 161 from 88 balls against Worcestershire.
-
News
Ton-up Ben Stokes has a record-breaking blast for Durham
The England captain made 161 from 88 deliveries in the LV= Insurance County Championship match against Worcestershire.
-
News
Ton-up Ben Stokes has a blast for Durham
The England Test captain reached a century against Worcestershire with five successive sixes.
-
News
Alastair Cook scores 71st first-class century as Ben Stokes makes Durham return
The Essex batter lined up against his England captaincy successor Joe Root.
-
News
England near Test coach appointment with Gary Kirsten favourite for role
Informal conversations with candidates have been held ahead of Friday’s closing date for applications.
-
England
Essex fined £50,000 over historic racist comment
The club admitted John Faragher’s use of the offensive term, which he himself denies, in a 2017 board meeting.
-
England
Jofra Archer eyeing Sussex return in Blast after injury left him in ‘dark place’
The England fast bowler missed last winter’s T20 World Cup and Ashes series after undergoing a second operation on his problematic right elbow.