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New Delhi: Australia skipper Steve Smith didn’t read much into his altercation with England pacer Jofra Archer in the second Ashes Test in Brisbane on Sunday.
Smith smashed an unbeaten 23 off nine balls as Australia coasted to an eight-wicket victory to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Smith delivered the final riposte after involving in a flashpoint at Gabba on Sunday as a frustrated Archer began a verbal clash to spice up the final session as Australia reached their target of 65 losing only two wickets.
Archer confronted Smith after he missed an attempted ramp-shot, walking up to him and aggressively speaking mid-pitch.
Smith shot back: "You bowl fast when there's nothing going on, champion," to which Archer responded with another fiery short ball that was despatched over the slips for a boundary.
Next ball, Archer bowled a 150 kph rocket that Smith pulled for a six and as the pair began altercation, England skipper Ben Stokes approached and patted his bowler back.
The England tearaway produced a rueful grin as he walked back to his mark before Smith took a single. Asked to speak about the entire episode, Smith described it as "good banter".
"That stays on the field, it was good banter. He's a good competitor, he comes hard at you so it was good fun," Smith told Fox Sports.
"It just felt right to play a few shots. Archer was obviously bowling pretty quick and there was a short boundary behind me.
"I thought I would try to get hold of a few, particularly as I heard there was a storm coming so I wanted to get things done."
Smith refused to divulge the nature of his chat with Archer during the post-match press conference.
"He was just bowling good pace and not really too sure what he said and not sure what I said, either. And it's not really any of your business either. So we'll leave it at that," he laughed.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan hoped Archer would retain the fire in his belly at the third Test in Adelaide after getting only one wicket in Brisbane.
"Great theatre but I will be honest, I want to see Jofra bowling like this in the first innings in Adelaide," he said on Fox Sports.
"I want to see Jofra run in and bowl 150 kph, he’s got it in him, we have seen that.
"He's the one bowler I think could crack open an opportunity for England."
