Manchester, Sep 11: Steve Smith once again turned out to be England's chief tormentor as Australia defeated the Three Lions by 185 runs in the fourth Test and retained the Ashes at the Old Trafford.

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However, there was a controversy following Australia's famous win in Manchester as English media accused Smith of mocking England spinner Lack Leach.

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Following the presentation ceremony, Smith was pictured stepping into the centre of a team huddle, wiping a pair of glasses before showing-batting left-handed just as the England spinner does.

Smith's celebration appeared to be an unkind parody of Leach, who was forced to wipe his glasses regularly during his knock alongside Ben Stokes in the third Test which England won by one wicket at Headingley.

Various English fans also vented their ire on social media against Smith and said that the celebrations from the former Australian captain were not in good taste.

However, Australia head coach Justin Langer has denied the accusations and claimed that Chris Rogers was the inspiration behind Smith's revelry.

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Australia, having an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series, will now take on England in the final Test beginning Thursday at the Oval.
 

About the Author

Saurabh Sharma
Saurabh Sharma is the Editorial Head of Cricketnmore Hindi and a passionate cricket journalist with over 14 years of experience in sports media. He began his journalism career with Navbharat Times, part of the Times of India Group, before moving to television media with Sadhna News. In 2014, he joined Cricketnmore and currently serves as the editor of the platform.
Known for his deep understanding of cricket statistics and unique storytelling approach, Saurabh specializes in cricket news, match analysis, records, and feature stories. Along with editorial responsibilities, he also works as a show producer for popular cricket video series such as Cricket Tales, Cricket Flashback, and Cricket Trivia. Read More
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