‘I saw them, but didn’t concentrate’: Steve Smith on the protesters in Galle throughout SL vs AUS 2nd Test

The most talked-about factor of the second Sri Lanka-Australia Test in Galle has not been the cricket however the protests demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The protestors, on Saturday, marched round Galle International Stadium and onto the ramparts of the previous fort that overlooks the bottom. The state of affairs, nonetheless, didn’t distract Australia batter, Steve Smith, from doing his job.

“The country is obviously in turmoil and people are outside having their say,” Smith mentioned in a cricket.com.au video launched on Sunday.

“We could obviously hear it, we can still hear it now, but it didn’t really play a part in anything in the game.”

Smith’s 145 within the first innings lasted for 369 minutes and 272 balls, and was essential from Australia’s standpoint within the Test because it took the guests to a complete of 364.

The 33-year-old mentioned that he did discover the protestors after they arrived on the venue however they didn’t distract him.

“I saw them there this morning but nah…..it’s a fair way away to be honest, it’s kind of the other way so….didn’t really pay much attention to it.”

The Australia vice-captain additional added, “Obviously, there’s loads of wind right here and it’s fairly fairly outdoors of….there’s not heaps of individuals right here so you possibly can hear rather a lot however like I mentioned…(it) didn’t actually get to anybody or play an element in what was occurring out within the center.

Months of demonstrations over poor financial circumstances in Sri Lanka reached a crescendo on Saturday because the protestors marched in and took over the presidential residence.