Steve Smith has shown surprising sympathy for England over the Noosa drinking controversy, defending their right to take a break and experience the country during long tours. Speaking to reporters at the MCG on Christmas Day ahead of the Boxing Day Test, the Australian stand-in captain said he understands the pressure of being under the spotlight when things are not going well and believes getting away from cricket can be important for teams struggling with form.

“You’ve got to experience the country”

Smith, who will continue as captain in Pat Cummins’ absence after recovering from an inner-ear issue, was asked if he felt any sympathy for England following their 3-0 Ashes defeat and the heavy criticism they have faced. Drawing on his own experience of being in the spotlight during the Sandpaper-gate scandal in 2018, when he was stripped of the captaincy and banned for a year, Smith showed empathy for the English team’s situation.

He said,

“When you’re losing, the spotlight is always on you and things can get spoken about and get blown up pretty heavily. So… I feel for them, in a way. It can be tricky. You’re in a country where you know you can go out and about and enjoy yourselves, and with big breaks, you know, you’ve got to experience the country that you’re in as well. And they had a pretty big break in between.”

Getting away from the game can help

Smith defended England’s decision to take a four-night break in Noosa, Queensland, between the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests, saying that switching off entirely from cricket can be necessary for teams under pressure or not playing their best. He explained,

“Sometimes I think you’ve just got to – and I heard a few of the comments – but you have got to get away from the game and try and put it out of your mind and just relax for a little bit too. And I can see that’s the kind of path that they wanted to go down and I think it’s fair enough.”

Smith added,

“I can’t really comment more than that on how they’re feeling or how they’re going about things but, yeah, I certainly believe that when you’ve lost two Test matches, and you’ve got such a long break, sometimes you just need to get away from the game and switch off entirely.”

England under fire for Noosa trip

The controversy erupted after England lost the Adelaide Test by 82 runs to surrender the Ashes 3-0, with reports in English media comparing their Noosa break to a “stag do” and alleging several players drank too much. Videos emerged on social media appearing to show Ben Duckett visibly intoxicated and struggling to find his way back to the team hotel, prompting the England and Wales Cricket Board to launch an investigation.

However, former Australia coach Darren Lehmann, who was in Noosa at the same time, has strongly defended England, saying they were “really well behaved” and that reports of excessive drinking were “just wrong.” England’s director Rob Key has also pledged to investigate but said he has no problem with players having “the odd drink” as long as it does not go too far.

Smith knows the pressure of scrutiny

Smith’s comments carry extra weight given his own experience of being at the center of a major scandal. In March 2018, he was stripped of the Australian captaincy and banned for 12 months following the ball-tampering incident in Cape Town. He faced intense media scrutiny, public criticism and even broke down in tears during a press conference upon returning to Australia.

That experience clearly shaped his perspective on how the spotlight intensifies when things are going wrong. His willingness to defend England shows maturity and understanding of the mental challenges that come with representing your country in high-pressure situations.

With Australia already having secured the Ashes urn and now aiming for a 5-0 whitewash, Smith will lead the team in the Boxing Day Test beginning December 26 at the MCG. England, meanwhile, will be hoping to restore some pride in the final two matches despite all the off-field distractions and criticism they have faced.