Steve Smith to Sussex: It’s great for the county – and the county game

On the surface, a county signing a world-class overseas player is perhaps not necessarily a big talking point – yet Sussex’s acquisition of Steve Smith means so much more than meets the eye.

Sussex have announced the signing of Australian great Smith as one of their overseas players for the upcoming County Championship season.

What should have been a signing that elicited a reaction of delight from Sussex and county cricket fans alike instead invoked a mixed response – with plenty of negativity to be heard, albeit not from within the county itself.

The signing of Smith is something to be celebrated and while there are many fair questions about the reasons behind the former Australian captain’s decision to join Sussex, they shouldn’t overshadow his arrival.

County cricket has seen a flurry of high-profile stars grace the many grounds of England and Wales in the past few seasons and long before that.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has played for Somerset, Hashim Amla for Surrey and Smith’s Australia teammate Marnus Labuschagne has been a regular at Glamorgan – to name just a few of the recent visitors.

In fact, the latter owes the Welsh county and – to some extent – a Jofra Archer bouncer a great deal of debt for his debut in the Test side.

If it weren’t for his prowess in English conditions during the 2019 season, Australia might have preferred a different option to replace Smith when he was left concussed by that Archer delivery in the 2019 Ashes series.

Sussex even had a star of their own last year in Cheteshwar Pujara, with the Indian notching 1094 runs at a staggering average of 109.40.

It is not a surprise for someone of Smith’s calibre to sign up for county cricket – yet his signing certainly feels a lot more significant for the county game.

With all the naysayers and doom-mongers who claim that Test and by extension county cricket is dying, it shows that the county game still has a big pull in terms of being able to attract the top talent towards it, even if it is, in this case, only for a three-game stint.

Some may argue there is no-one on Smith’s level – from overseas at least – that has taken part in The Hundred in its first two seasons, which was seemingly the competition that the ECB most often refer to as being able to pull in the biggest players.

While the previously mentioned talent are fantastic players in their own right, none of them quite have the same aura as Smith. The Australian has been a dominant force in world cricket for several years, particularly in the Test arena, often to England’s detriment.

The closest county cricket has come to seeing a player of Smith’s calibre in recent years was Surrey’s capture of Virat Kohli in 2018, and he ended up pulling out through injury.

The fact is Smith’s signing is huge for county cricket. It will surely see an increase in attendance to watch one of the greatest stars of not just today, but of all-time.

And what will Sussex gain from it?

The Hove-based club have, in the past two seasons of the County Championship, often fielded very youthful XIs – with fine batting prospects batsmen such as Tom Haines, Tom Clark, Ali Orr and Oli Carter coming through the ranks.

Last season these players will have learned from a player such as Pujara and now they will get to learn from Smith. It is an incredible opportunity for them.

There are many positives to take, but the possible negatives have to be addressed.

Many have labelled Sussex’s signing of Smith as nothing more than a chance to allow the Australian to warm up for the summer’s Ashes series.

This is more than likely to be true, but it would be wrong to expect Smith to play county cricket and not get anything from it himself.

The fact someone of Smith’s calibre doesn’t often appear in county cricket any more is down in part to franchise leagues, over-bearing international schedules and all that comes with being an elite international cricketer.

For him to want to come, there needs to be a benefit for him and a chance to warm up for the biggest Test series in the world gives him that. Sussex gain a fantastic batsman who could change their season – Smith gains the chance to get himself ready for the Ashes.

The downside for Sussex is Smith will be available only for three games, which in the context of a whole season isn’t many. It may be the three games that turn their season around or help take them to the title – or they may all be washed out.

There is the slim chance that Smith doesn’t get a load of runs for Sussex.

He may hit a torrid run of form which could even cause his Ashes series to become a nightmare – but, as England have found out in the past, this seems unlikely.

Some have questioned why Smith is being allowed to play in county cricket given his involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in 2018. Smith will always be remembered for that dark day in Cape Town.

It will follow him throughout his career – and into the rest of his life – no matter what he achieves. But his ban has been served.

Like it or not, Steve Smith will arrive to play for Sussex in May. It will provide huge interest in our county game, and that cannot be a bad thing.

sussexworld.co.uk/sport