A self-confessed cricket tragic, Smith is a player who is happiest when batting – and there are few grander stages in the game than being out in the middle of Lord's in an Ashes Test engaged in a fierce contest with a world-class bowler like Archer. Steve Smith resumed batting last weekend after suffering concussion in the second Test. Credit:PA But as he lay face down, mentally processing the impact of the ball that had thudded into his unprotected neck, there was sadness. For many, the sight of Smith collapsing after being struck on the neck in the second Test brought back memories of the moments after Hughes was struck in a similar area during a Sheffield Shield match. Hughes never regained consciousness and died days later aged 25. As viewers around Australia waited several agonisingly long moments for positive signs from a prostrate Smith, the batsman himself was thinking of Hughes. The two were long-time friends.

"I had a few things running through my head, particularly where I got hit, just a bit of past came up, if you know what I mean, from a few years ago," Smith said. "That was probably the first thing I thought about, then I was like, 'I'm OK here' and I was all right. I was a little bit sad, but I was all right mentally for the rest of that afternoon." I had a few things running through my head, particularly where I got hit, just a bit of past came up, if you know what I mean. Steve Smith Smith recovered sufficiently to return to the crease 40 minutes later, but his condition deteriorated that night to the point he complained of feeling hung over. "When the doc asked me what did it feel like I said it felt like I had six beers last night and felt a little bit under the weather, without the six beers unfortunately," Smith said.

Loading "That was the sort of feeling I got, that groggy feeling and that stuck around for a couple of days. "Not a nice place to be in, but these things happen and I unfortunately missed what was a pretty amazing Test match." Team doctor Richard Saw's decision to clear him to bat was criticised by some, including a UK-based brain injury charity, but Cricket Australia and now Smith have defended the call. CA's research showed that 30 per cent of concussions were delayed and symptoms did not develop for several hours, as in Smith's case.

"Had he [Dr Saw] told me that this isn't the right thing to do, then that's fine, we cop that on the chin and you get on with things," Smith said. "But he was comfortable and I was comfortable and that was it, just move on and play." Smith does not feel comfortable wearing stem guards. He wore one on Saturday in the nets and said his heart rate "went up about 30 or 40 [beats per minute] straight away". "I just feel claustrophobic," Smith said. "I compare it to being stuck in an MRI scan machine. "It was different, but I think at some point they're probably going to become mandatory, so I'm going to have to get used to them. "And I'm sure the more I wear them, the more I practise with them, my heart rate will come down and everything will be OK.