Stuart Broad, in his final Test, cheekily counted down to Steve Smith's supposedly final Test innings, winding up the Australian.
Stuart Broad and Steve Smith occupy parallel universes in Ashes cricket: both were simultaneously admired and despised by the opposition's supporters, both were match-winners, and both carried baggage from previous series that defined how each side saw the other. Their rivalry stretches back through multiple Ashes campaigns and encompasses some of Test cricket's most memorable moments.
Broad is the man who famously didn't walk at Trent Bridge in 2013, edging to slip but standing his ground for an LBW call that was given not out. Smith is the man who stood at the crease in the same 2019 Ashes, looking down the pitch while non-striker team-mate Usman Khawaja was apparently consulting with the dressing room on the right line for a ball — an incident that led to the "Sandpapergate" shadow hanging over every Australian appearance.
Both men were lightning rods for the other's supporters, which made their direct rivalry — Broad repeatedly seeking and often finding ways to dismiss Smith across multiple series — one of the most richly loaded individual contests in modern Ashes cricket.
The 2023 Ashes was Stuart Broad's final series. He announced mid-series that the fifth Test at The Oval would be his last match. It was also widely expected, though not confirmed, to be Steve Smith's final Ashes series in England. This context loaded every Broad-Smith encounter with extra meaning.
Smith had been dismissed by Broad multiple times across Ashes series, and Broad was keenly aware of his dominance over the Australian batsman. With a microphone on the stumps capturing much of what was said between players, Broad's tendency towards cheerful gamesmanship found a perfect stage. He had always been cricket's most articulate and self-aware provocateur.
The final Test at The Oval came after one of the most controversial Ashes series in years. The Jonny Bairstow stumping at Lord's — where Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey stumped Bairstow after he had walked out of his crease between deliveries — had enraged England and their supporters. The series was tied 2-2 heading into the decider, and emotions on both sides were at maximum.
During the 5th and final Ashes Test at The Oval in 2023, Stuart Broad — who had already announced this would be his final Test match — engaged in some memorable gamesmanship with Steve Smith. With Smith widely expected to be playing his final Ashes match in England, Broad was caught on the stump microphone counting down Smith's supposed career milestones.
Broad was heard saying things like "Last time batting at The Oval" and counting down balls, adding psychological pressure to what was already an emotional occasion. It was classic Broad — cheeky, provocative, but never crossing the line into hostility. The two had a long history of encounters across multiple Ashes series.
The 2023 Ashes was already one of the most dramatic series in history, featuring the controversial Bairstow stumping at Lord's and several close finishes. Broad's mind games with Smith added another layer of theatre. Broad fittingly took the final wicket of the series — dismissing Alex Carey — to cap a remarkable career. The Broad-Smith exchanges encapsulated the playful yet intense rivalry that defines the Ashes.
Broad announces before The Oval Test that it will be his final match, setting up a valedictory occasion
Broad caught on stump microphone counting down Steve Smith's supposed 'last' innings at The Oval
Broad dismisses Smith in what proves to be a memorable late-career moment for both players
Broad taking the final wicket of the series — Alex Carey — to end his career in perfect fashion
The broader context of the 2023 Ashes, including the Bairstow stumping, adds extra emotion to every Broad-Smith exchange
Smith's reaction to Broad's gamesmanship — dignified but visibly aware of the psychological intent
2013 Trent Bridge
Broad infamously doesn't walk after edging to slip, setting up years of Australian grievance and the foundation of their rivalry
2019 Ashes
Broad is part of the England attack that successfully restricts Smith despite his dominance of the series
June 2023
2023 Ashes begins with controversy from the start — Bairstow stumping at Lord's inflames tensions
Late July 2023
Broad announces The Oval Test will be his final match, loading every on-field moment with extra significance
31 July 2023
Broad engages in gamesmanship with Smith at The Oval, counting down his supposed final innings appearances
1 August 2023
Broad takes the final wicket of the series — Carey stumped — and retires to a standing ovation
“I've had so many battles with Smithy over the years. This was just the last one. I tried to enjoy every moment.”
“Broady's always had something to say. That's just him. You have to respect the competitiveness behind it.”
“Broad finishing his career by dismissing Smith — it was almost scripted.”
Broad retired after the series with 604 Test wickets, the second-highest by an England bowler behind James Anderson. His send-off from English cricket was rapturous — a standing ovation at The Oval that acknowledged not just his wickets but his personality, his competitiveness, and his ability to produce his best when the stage was largest.
Smith continued playing international cricket. Despite the suggestion that 2023 might be his last Ashes in England, he remained a force in Test cricket. The Broad-Smith chapter closed but Smith's story continued. Broad's gamesmanship at The Oval, though light-hearted, remained a talking point — an example of how psychological pressure can be applied with humour rather than hostility.
No action taken — playful gamesmanship typical of the Ashes. Broad's retirement added emotional weight to the exchanges.
The Broad-Smith rivalry represents one of the most entertaining individual contests in modern Ashes cricket. Broad's ability to repeatedly dismiss one of the world's best batsmen was a technical achievement; his ability to make it theatrically compelling was something else entirely. By turning their final encounter into a piece of cricket theatre, Broad demonstrated a cricketing intelligence that went beyond the merely physical.
For the 2023 Ashes series itself, Broad's farewell became one of the defining narratives. A series that featured controversy, drama, and close finishes ended with one of England's most beloved players — a man who divided opinion for years before becoming universally celebrated — walking off to sustained applause at The Oval. The gamesmanship with Smith was a small part of that story, but a perfectly Broad-shaped one.
Australia vs Pakistan
22 November 1981
Dennis Lillee kicked Javed Miandad on the field, prompting Miandad to raise his bat as if to strike Lillee. Umpire Tony Crafter intervened to separate them.
New Zealand vs West Indies
12 February 1980
Michael Holding kicked the stumps out of the ground in frustration after an LBW appeal was turned down against John Parker.
West Indies vs Australia
28 April 1995
Curtly Ambrose got in Steve Waugh's face after being told to go back to his mark. Richie Richardson had to pull Ambrose away. Ambrose then bowled a devastating spell.