Steve Smith: “It’s a bucket list of mine to win an Ashes series in England”
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Australia captain Steve Smith is determined to win an Ashes series in England, something he says is on his “bucket list”. However, doing such a thing will be no easy feat as the Baggy Greens have not accomplished it since 2001.
Smith’s comments come after his side demolished England 4-0 in the recently concluded Ashes series in Australia.
England have won the last four Ashes series they have played on home soil and the last time they lost in front of their own fans was when Australia beat them 4-1 under the leadership of Steve Waugh.
“This team has been magnificent in this series,” he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports. “The cricket we’ve played has been great so the more we play together, the more we’re going to get better as a group. We’ve just got to keep getting better and improving as a team.
“England in 2019 is a long way away but it is a real challenge for us as well. It’s a bucket list of mine to win an Ashes series in England.”
When asked if his side can break Australia’s losing streak in England, Smith simply said: “I have no idea.”
While Smith is unsure whether Australia can triumph in hostile territory in 2019, former England captain Michael Vaughan conceded that the Baggy Greens could get the job done as they tore England apart in the recently concluded Ashes series.
“England are miles away from winning in Australia, but Australia are a lot closer to winning in England,” he told BBC Test Match Special.
For the time being though, Smith said his side will enjoy their 4-0 win, which he believes is a “fair reflection” of the series.
“It’s been a great couple of months,” he said. “The cricket we’ve played has been outstanding.
“All the guys have been there and done the job with the wickets being shared around. And obviously scoring big runs in the first innings has been key for us. The batters have stood up and got through difficult periods, winning the key moments which has been crucial in this series.
“I think England had their foot in the door in all of the Test matches, they’ve played some exceptional cricket and we’ve just been able to get on top in those key moments and not let them back in the game which has been crucial.”