Slip fielding has become one of the most perilous places in this World Test Championship final, particularly at Lord’s, where conditions and cautious batting have combined to turn it into a high-stakes guessing game. As the match wore on and edges kept dropping just short, both teams started creeping forward ball by ball, trying to close the distance between themselves and any possible nick. The result has been a series of courageous but risky positions and in Australia’s case, a painful casualty.
Steve Smith, ever committed and hyper-focused, found himself at the epicentre of this drama. Fielding unusually close at first slip, even ahead of the wicketkeeper, he was wearing a helmet, a rare sight that highlighted just how close he had moved. The decision wasn’t made lightly Smith had spent 15 minutes that morning practicing catches in the gear, an indicator of how unfamiliar and unnerving the setup was.
When the moment came, it came with brutal suddenness. Mitchell Starc delivered a sharp ball that Bavuma, aiming to drive from the back foot, edged violently. It was on Smith in an instant too fast to allow him any real chance. The ball slammed into his hand, snapping his fingers back and sending him crashing to the turf. In that moment, Smith’s courage was evident; he stood up immediately, only to double over again in agony. His finger, broken and dislocated, had been torn open. A compound fracture, confirmed by the medical team, sent him straight to Wellington Hospital for X-rays and further treatment.
The loss was felt immediately not only physically but tactically. Smith’s experience and sharp cricketing mind had been an asset, and his absence left Australia a touch rudderless. Beau Webster was pushed into the slip cordon in his place, and while the newcomer did his best his sheer size and presence enough to occupy two positions he was mostly a spectator for the remainder of the day. Despite his heroic stance, no chances came his way.
Ironically, it was a dropped catch off Starc’s bowling that came back to haunt Australia, not one from his bat. Marco Jansen had let one fly off Starc’s bat the previous evening, a stinger that slammed into his chest at gully. At the time, it seemed significant, with Starc pushing on to an unbeaten 58. But the tables turned when Bavuma’s life was spared due to Smith’s painful drop. As the South African captain continued to build what could become a title-clinching partnership with Aiden Markram, that split-second slip by Smith took on far greater importance.
In a game decided by inches, bravery, and bare fingers, this was a reminder that the finest margins often have the heaviest consequences.
