Steve Smith and Jofra Archer exchanged heated words on the pitch in the dying moments of the Brisbane Test, reigniting their Ashes rivalry.
Australia needed just 65 runs in the fourth innings to win the second Ashes Test and take a 2-0 series lead. They lost Travis Head chopping onto his stumps and Marnus Labuschagne caught behind to bring Smith to the crease.
Facing his first ball from Archer, Smith smashed a 90mph short ball to the square leg boundary. He then attempted to uppercut and even faster ball next up but missed. After missing the ball, and after words from Archer, Smith turned around to Archer and said: "You bowl fast when there's nothing on the line champion."
"Bowl fast when there's nothing going on champion."
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 7, 2025
Steve Smith v Jofra Archer was seriously spicy 🍿 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/jfa4PiZyb2
He drew a response from Archer, before turning around and scratching his guard out. The next ball was another bouncer, which Smith hooked and got a top edge over Jamie Smith's head for four. That prompted another exchange between the two, with Archer stopping at the end of his follow-through and the pair getting close.
When Archer ran in again, he delivered the fastest ball of his spell, which Smith swivelled and hooked for six. This time Archer turned around and walked back to his mark before Smith could direct anymore words his way.
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A single off the next ball and a dot off the final ball of the over meant Smith was on strike for the next over to Gus Atkinson with eight runs needed to win. Smith took a single off Atkinson's second ball before Weatherald drove him for four and took another single. With two needed to win, Smith launched Atkinson over deep-square leg for six to score the winning runs and further Australia's series lead.
Archer and Smith reignite Ashes rivalry
Smith and Archer famously last faced each other in an Ashes series before the ongoing one in the 2019 series. On Archer's Test debut at Lord's, Smith was hit in the head by a bouncer and knocked to the ground. He retired hurt before returning later in the game, and was ruled out of the following Test with concussion.
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