Jason Gillespie defends Steven Smith over Ben Stokes' controversy

Gillespie questioned McCullum’s claim that Smith played against the ‘spirit of cricket’

Former Australian pace bowler Jason Gillespie has come to the defence of Steven Smith over the controversy surrounding the dismissal of Ben Stokes on Saturday, Cricket Australia’s official website reports. Yorkshire’s present coach also questioned England skipper Eoin Morgan’s claims that Smith didn’t adhere to the ‘spirit of cricket’.

The third ODI between England and Australia is already underway in Manchester but the controversial ‘obstructing the field’ dismissal of Ben Stokes during the 2^nd ODI still continues to make the headlines. Former England players like Michael Vaughan, Alec Stewart and Paul Collingwood were joined by New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum in criticising the Australian team’s decision to appeal for the Stokes’ incident.

McCullum went on to claim that Smith’s predecessor Michael Clarke would have recalled the batsman and blasted Smith for his ‘immaturity’, but Gillespie has come in strong defence of the 26-year-old.

“I don’t think this was immaturity from Smith, as some have claimed. If he was a wise old pro at 36 or starting out as captain at 26, as he is now, I fancy he would have had the same conviction in sticking to the appeal,” Gillespie said. “In doing so, Smith believed himself to be going with the decision of the officials and therefore, operating within the spirit.”

Morgan had said that he would have recalled the batsman had he been in Smith’s shoes as he felt that Stokes was taking evasive action in order to avoid getting hit by the throw from Mitchell Starc. George Bailey had retaliated to the statement by challenging Morgan to recall any opposition that is wrongly adjudged out by the umpires hence.

Gillespie claimed that the Australians were well within their right to appeal and added that Stokes was out as per the letter of the law. He also stuck into the argument by suggesting that it was Morgan who was playing against the spirit of the game by questioning the umpire’s decision.

“You could, for example, argue that the England one-day captain, Eoin Morgan, was contravening it by questioning the decision of the officials and the integrity of his opponent at Lord’s on Saturday evening,” Gillespie said.