<p class="title">Australia coach Justin Langer said there may come a time when Steve Smith has to wear a neck guard on his helmet whether he likes it or not after the star batsman was felled by a bouncer in the second Ashes Test against England at Lord's on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Smith had made 80 on the fourth day when he was <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/steve-smith-hit-on-neck-by-archer-bouncer-retires-hurt-755052.html" target="_blank">struck by a short ball</a> from fast bowler Jofra Archer, timed at 92.4 mph (148.7 kph), on an unprotected part of his neck.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Smith, who fell to the ground, retired hurt after receiving on-field treatment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But after just 46 minutes away, he returned at the fall of the next wicket before he was lbw to Chris Woakes for 92.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That dismissal denied Smith his third hundred in as many Ashes innings after he marked his comeback Test following a 12-month ball-tampering ban, with scores of 144 and 142 in Australia's 251-run win at Edgbaston.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Significantly, Smith was wearing a helmet without the additional stem guard neck protection introduced following the death of Phillip Hughes after his former Australia team-mate was hit by a bouncer in a 2014 domestic Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He (Smith) just doesn't feel right (wearing a stem guard)," said Langer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I know they came in after the tragedy of Hughesy. He might rethink it now after seeing what happened today, but you'd have to ask him that.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"At the moment, the players have a choice and I wouldn't be surprised if they become mandatory in the future."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Former Australia batsman Langer was hit on the head several times during his Test career, including on debut by the West Indies' Ian Bishop at Adelaide in 1993.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But the 48-year-old was confident Saturday's blow would not do lasting damage to Smith's confidence against fast bowling.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"When you get hit, it's always in the back of your mind," said Langer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Any batsman who tells you it's not is a liar. But he (Smith) is also the sort of person who will do everything from now until the next time he bats -- whether it's mentally, visualising or practising -- to be right."</p>.<p class="bodytext">This series has seen the introduction of concussion substitutes, who can replace a batsman who has a severe head or neck injury.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Langer insisted Australia had not taken an undue risk in allowing Smith to resume his innings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He passed all the testing and that's why he came back out," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"These are like my sons alright, so you're never going to put them in harm's way, even though you're always in harm's way with Test cricket.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What else do you do? The medicos cleared him, he wanted to get out there."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Before this match, Langer said Australia would look to test Test debutant Archer's resilience.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The World Cup winner, in for the injured James Anderson, rarely let up, however, during a fine return of 2-59 in 29 overs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I've got massive admiration for Jofra," Langer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"But I did say like all bowlers, Test cricket is really hard.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"His endurance was outstanding today, his skill, his pace...To be able to bowl 29 overs today, what a great effort. Time will tell whether that has an impact."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Smith's 92 helped Australia close to within eight runs of England's first-innings 258.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australia quick Pat Cummins then took two wickets in two balls, including dismissing England captain Joe Root for a golden duck.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At stumps, England were 96-4, a lead of just 104 runs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australia could yet now force a win that would put them 2-0 up with three to play even though five sessions in the match have been washed out.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"My thoughts are this is why we love Test cricket so much," said Langer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We've lost a couple of days -- or nearly a couple of days -- to rain and it's absolutely game on tomorrow."</p>
<p class="title">Australia coach Justin Langer said there may come a time when Steve Smith has to wear a neck guard on his helmet whether he likes it or not after the star batsman was felled by a bouncer in the second Ashes Test against England at Lord's on Saturday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Smith had made 80 on the fourth day when he was <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/steve-smith-hit-on-neck-by-archer-bouncer-retires-hurt-755052.html" target="_blank">struck by a short ball</a> from fast bowler Jofra Archer, timed at 92.4 mph (148.7 kph), on an unprotected part of his neck.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Smith, who fell to the ground, retired hurt after receiving on-field treatment.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But after just 46 minutes away, he returned at the fall of the next wicket before he was lbw to Chris Woakes for 92.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That dismissal denied Smith his third hundred in as many Ashes innings after he marked his comeback Test following a 12-month ball-tampering ban, with scores of 144 and 142 in Australia's 251-run win at Edgbaston.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Significantly, Smith was wearing a helmet without the additional stem guard neck protection introduced following the death of Phillip Hughes after his former Australia team-mate was hit by a bouncer in a 2014 domestic Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He (Smith) just doesn't feel right (wearing a stem guard)," said Langer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I know they came in after the tragedy of Hughesy. He might rethink it now after seeing what happened today, but you'd have to ask him that.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"At the moment, the players have a choice and I wouldn't be surprised if they become mandatory in the future."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Former Australia batsman Langer was hit on the head several times during his Test career, including on debut by the West Indies' Ian Bishop at Adelaide in 1993.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But the 48-year-old was confident Saturday's blow would not do lasting damage to Smith's confidence against fast bowling.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"When you get hit, it's always in the back of your mind," said Langer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Any batsman who tells you it's not is a liar. But he (Smith) is also the sort of person who will do everything from now until the next time he bats -- whether it's mentally, visualising or practising -- to be right."</p>.<p class="bodytext">This series has seen the introduction of concussion substitutes, who can replace a batsman who has a severe head or neck injury.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But Langer insisted Australia had not taken an undue risk in allowing Smith to resume his innings.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He passed all the testing and that's why he came back out," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"These are like my sons alright, so you're never going to put them in harm's way, even though you're always in harm's way with Test cricket.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What else do you do? The medicos cleared him, he wanted to get out there."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Before this match, Langer said Australia would look to test Test debutant Archer's resilience.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The World Cup winner, in for the injured James Anderson, rarely let up, however, during a fine return of 2-59 in 29 overs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I've got massive admiration for Jofra," Langer said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"But I did say like all bowlers, Test cricket is really hard.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"His endurance was outstanding today, his skill, his pace...To be able to bowl 29 overs today, what a great effort. Time will tell whether that has an impact."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Smith's 92 helped Australia close to within eight runs of England's first-innings 258.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australia quick Pat Cummins then took two wickets in two balls, including dismissing England captain Joe Root for a golden duck.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At stumps, England were 96-4, a lead of just 104 runs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australia could yet now force a win that would put them 2-0 up with three to play even though five sessions in the match have been washed out.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"My thoughts are this is why we love Test cricket so much," said Langer.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We've lost a couple of days -- or nearly a couple of days -- to rain and it's absolutely game on tomorrow."</p>