Australia were allowed to replace Smith with another batsman due to him suffering concussion He had also a suspected broken arm - had it been broken and Smith not concussed he couldn't be replaced What would have happened if the scans had shown a broken arm - would he still have been replaced anyway or does the fact he had a later head injury give him a chance to avoid playing. Far be it from me to suggest a man with no record of ever bending the cricket rules wasn't concussed but is there perhaps an opportunity for someone who had say a very painful arm and not really wanting to bat with it to wake up with a headache the next day after a head blow and get a replacement under the concussion rules.
That's be cheating Dave. Australians don't do that. They are saying however that he may be unfit for the next test on Thursday, but that's probably hyperbole too.
If he'd broken his arm no replacement is permitted. The reason being that although a broken arm hurts, it's unlikely to be life threatening if you get whacked on it again. However a knock on the head whilst suffering concussion is life threatening. To protect the players from themselves, this rule was brought in.
No he has to be independently assessed by a doctor who carries out the concussion tests, I suppose in theory the doctor could be bent but I don't think that's likely. Smith would 100% have wanted to come back out and play, he might be a cheat but he's also a very determined player and there's no way he'd have bottled coming back out, he didn't even want to go off in the first place first time round.
Steve Smith would probably have kept playing with a broken arm and still got more runs than the rest of their side combined.
I was being tongue in cheek even hinting Smith was potentially bending the laws of cricket on this occasion , but my question still remains - had the scan showed a broken arm would they still go on to do the concussion tests and allow a replacement. I guess Smith would claim (probably correctly) he would go and bat one handed if he was needed so I probably know the answer. Mischeivous thought wonder if Jimmy Anderson should have fallen down the pavillion steps and banged his head when leaving the field in the first test -Maybe if we had had an extra bowler like Archer to bring in the result might well have been different
Yes, if he had a broken arm, he would still need to prove concussion to be allowed a replacement. Any other injury, and you're a man down, albeit with a sub fielder. I wouldn't be surprised to see general injury substitutes brought in in time.
I remember when I was a kid going to watch my Dad play and my Grandad umpire. It was all he used to say! I guess its stuck with me.
