Mo Bobat, the performance director for men’s cricket at the ECB, has cautiously welcomed the possibility of Australia’s Steve Smith honing his skills with Sussex in the County Championship before the start of this summer’s Ashes series, suggesting the benefits of the move would outweigh any disadvantages.
Discussions between Smith and Sussex are said to be advanced, and though Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain, reacted coolly to the idea Bobat was considerably more enthusiastic.
