Ashes 2019 | English bowlers have to be prepared to be patient against Steve Smith, advices Andrew Strauss

So far in the Ashes series, Steve Smith - who has returned to Test cricket following a 12-month ban following the 'sandpaper gate'- has produced a couple of magnificent innings (144 and 142) and helped Australia beat England by 251 runs in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston last week.

Smith seems to be in invincible form but former England captain Strauss, while speaking to reporters at Lord's on Wednesday, as rain washed out the first session of the second Test, insisted England were not up against an unconquerable Smith. He pressed on the fact that Smith wasn't in his superhuman form in the first innings and missed a lot of shots early on. 

"If you look in that first innings, he played and missed a lot early on...I don't think it's a case of reinventing the wheel," he said.

"You know, a good ball to other people is a good ball to him, but maybe just a little bit wider.

"He played brilliantly, fantastically well. But he's going to nick one at some point.

"Bowlers have to be prepared to be patient." 

The 2nd Test between England and Australia is now underway at Lord's and Smith with his impeccable form of an average of 139 in the last six Ashes Tests will be the one to watch out for.