Steve Smith reflects on being hit by Jofra Archer bouncer: I felt like I'd had a dozen beers

During the second Test of the 2019 Ashes, Smith was struck on the head by Jofra Archer. On Wednesday (June 28), he will play at Lord's for the first time since the incident

Steve Smith has reflected on his battles with Jofra Archer during the 2019 Ashes, revealing he felt like he'd drunk a "dozen beers" after being struck in the head by a delivery from the bowler at Lord's.

The second match of the 2023 Ashes, which begins on June 28, will be the first time that Smith has played at the ground since that eventful Test.

At Lord's, Smith was struck on the head by a bouncer from Archer, leaving him prone on the ground. He was on 80 at the time and scored a further 12 runs upon his return before being dismissed for 92.

He was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the match – and the third Test at Headingley – with Marnus Labuschagne cementing his place in the side in Smith's absence.

^{Steve Smith after being struck by a delivery from Jofra Archer [Gareth Copley/Getty Images]}

Smith returned for the fourth Test and went on to finish the series with 774 runs at 110.57, including three centuries, in seven innings.

Smith told the Legend of The Ashes podcast: "It was a very difficult period to get through, I caught one on the arm, got away with a few pull shots that are top edge and a couple in the gaps.

"And then I copped one in the back of the head, which hurt a fair bit. At that stage, I didn't realise I was getting concussed. I went off and did all the tests, passed all the tests.

"It wasn't until I came back out. Half-an-hour after, when the adrenalin sort of went out of my system and I started to feel quite groggy - probably like I'd had a dozen beers, to be honest."

Four years on, Smith will be hoping for better batting conditions after struggling at the ground in 2019: "It was quite a dark, gloomy day. The clouds were rolling in and out. Lord's itself can be a little difficult when they are bowling from the members' end with the members sitting there and the sightscreen not as big as at other grounds.

"There were a few distractions there, and it was just a day (when) I wasn't quite seeing the ball as well as I would have liked from that end."