'Guys got a bit fed up' - Steve Smith expresses disappointment at England ditching customary post-Ashes drinks

The 2023 Ashes was one of the most exciting series of the iconic red-ball tournament between England and Australia. The rivalry got heated up when Australia wicket-keeper Alex Carey did a controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow in the second Test. After losing the first two Tests, the home team staged an impressive comeback to level the series 2-2, sticking to their 'bazball' approach.

The controversy did not end even after the series, with the England and Australia players not meeting for their customary post-Ashes drinks at The Oval after the final match. Traditionally, the two international cricket giants share a beer after the conclusion of the Ashes series, a gesture of camaraderie and mutual respect. However, this time there was no gathering at the venue as expected.

England were criticised for failing to attend the post-match celebrations, with captain Ben Stokes coming out with an explanation as to why his team did not turn up for the event. Meanwhile, Australia Test vice-captain Steve Smith broke his silence on the matter. Smith, who was disappointed to miss the customary post-series routine for the first time, revealed that his teammates waited for quite a while but there was no proper response from the home team.

"We did knock on the door a couple of times. We were waiting around a while and Stokesy came out at one point and said 'two minutes' and about an hour passed," the 34-year-old told SEN 1170's The Run Home.

"We thought, 'we can't keep sitting here. Are we going to have a beer or not'? The guys got a bit fed up and decided it was time to go. It was unfortunate, it was the first time in my career that we've not had a drink with them after a series and it was a bit of a shame," he added.

It was a shame not to have a beer: Smith 

Stokes had earlier said they were busy due to the retirement of Stuart Broad and the departure of some members of their support staff, which took longer than expected. “To clarify…Our wrap took longer than expected because of multiple last-time events. We decided to meet up in the nightclub rather than the dressing room," the all-rounder said.

Smith confirmed that some of his teammates caught up with the England team in a nightclub later that night. "They caught up with a few of the boys in the nightclub later on that night, I had gone home by that stage, but it was a shame not to have a beer and reflect on what was a pretty cool series," he concluded.