WATCH: Steve Smith engages in an arguement with the umpire Nigel Llong

Former Australia captain, Steve Smith was seen engaging in a heated argument with the on-field umpire Nigel Llong over a controversial call in the first session on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday. After opting to field first, New Zealand cleaned up the Australia openers, Joe Burns and David Warner to spoil Australia’s plan of flying start in the second Test of the three-match Test series. Smith then added a crucial third-wicket partnership with Marnus Labuschagne and took Australia to 67/2 in 26 overs at lunch. However, he expressed his anger over a controversial call made by umpire Nigel Llong in the final over before lunch. Steve Smith engaged in heated in an argument with umpire On the last ball of the 26th over from Neil Wagner, a short-pitched delivery hit Steve Smith on his ribs. Although he did not hit any shot apart from tried to steal a single, thinking of it as a ‘leg-bye’. However, umpire Llong referred to it as a ‘dead ball’ and asked the batsman to stay at his end only. However, after the first session, Steve Smith got involved in an on-field conversation with the umpire before leaving for lunch. He was fuming in disbelief over the controversial call. As per the quotes on Fox cricket, former player Shane Warne said, “Well, the umpire’s wrong. Steve Smith has every right to be angry because the interpretation Nigel Llong is giving at the minute is incorrect. The rule is if you evade a short ball and it hits any part of your body you’re allowed to run even if you don’t play a shot. I’m sure someone’s going to have a chat with Nigel Llong in the lunch break because Steve Smith’s livid and rightly so.” Watch Video on the Next Page via Gfycat

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