Strauss tells England to be patient in pursuit of Smith wicket

Andrew Strauss believes patience if the key as England look to find a way to dismiss star Australia batsman Steve Smith in the ongoing Ashes series.

Smith returned to Test cricket following a 12-month ban for his role in a ball-tampering scandal with innings of 144 and 142 as Australia beat England by 251 runs in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston last week.

Smith has scored five centuries in his past six Ashes Tests, averaging 139.

But former England captain Strauss, speaking to reporters at Lord's on Wednesday as rain washed out the first session of the second Test, insisted England were not up against a superhuman in Smith.

"If you look in that first innings, he played and missed a lot early on...I don't think it's a case of reinventing the wheel," he said.

"You know, a good ball to other people is a good ball to him, but maybe just a little bit wider.

"He played brilliantly, fantastically well. But he's going to nick one at some point.

"Bowlers have to be prepared to be patient."
"Over the course of the game that counts more and more."
- 'Fantastic' Archer -
======================
"He's got pace, he's accurate, he's got good variety," said Strauss, an Ashes-winning captain in 2009 and 2010/11, "I think he's going to be a fantastic England bowler and have a long career, but he's potentially making his debut so we can't expect him to be the answer to all our prayers."