Cricket: The joke that's haunting Steve Smith against the Black Caps

Neil Wagner dismissed Steve Smith in both innings in their series-opener in Perth. Photo / Photosport

A tick over three months ago, an exhausted Steve Smith sat next to captain Tim Paine as the pair fronted the media after the final day's play of a gruelling Ashes campaign.

He admitted he was "cooked" after a long northern hemisphere summer punishing the Poms to the tune of 774 runs, which ended with the hosts finally finding a way to dismiss the batting wizard for less than 50 and winning the fifth Test at The Oval to square the series at 2-2.

Smith may have been tired but one question drew laughter from both him and Paine.

"Steve, can you believe they finally got you out at leg slip?" a member of the Australian press pack asked.

England had tried at various stages all series to hit Smith's hip and hope a glide would find its way to leg slip but the ball always seemed to fly just wide.

An incredulous Jofra Archer had earlier remarked how often the Aussie seemed to get the ball in no-man's land just out of the reach of fielders - but the plan finally worked in the second innings in south London. On 23, his lowest score of the series, Smith clipped Stuart Broad to Ben Stokes behind square on the leg side.

It was almost an omen that after a summer of torment, England was destined to win the last Test.

As Smith and Paine giggled like schoolgirls when asked about the dismissal, like it was an inside joke between the pair, it was the skipper who responded.

"Can I say what you said when you got into the changerooms?" Paine said. "You sort of sat there for a bit - I won't say the very first bit - and then he sat there for another 10 seconds and said, 'Oh well, if I get out there at least for the next however long they'll start bowling at my hip so that's a good thing'."

Smith then weighed in with his own appraisal. He said: "They've had that position a bit for me and I've always felt if you hit one there it's kind of unlucky in a way and it just takes a catcher out of somewhere else, so go for your life."

At one stage during the Ashes, Smith became the first batsman in test cricket to be substituted due to concussion. Photo / Photosport

Smith may have been "unlucky" to end his Ashes like that but his woes against New Zealand have more to do with the Kiwis' meticulous planning and perfect execution.

In the World Cup, fast bowler Lockie Ferguson and captain Kane Williamson conspired to set a funky leg-side field that saw Smith pull a short ball into the hands of Martin Guptill at leg gully.

It was a case of deja vu in the first innings of the first Test in Perth. After drying up Smith's scoring options for a lengthy period, left-arm enforcer Neil Wagner charged in from over the wicket and Australia's best batsman again pulled a short ball to leg gully and he was out for 43.

It was the second time in as many Test innings against New Zealand he'd been caught in that position and while the tactic may have amused him in England, there was nothing funny about another similar demise against the Black Caps.

"We've got him out like that before and we've seen him get out to it again," Wagner said of the tourists' plan.

The short ball did the trick again in the second innings at Optus Stadium, only this time Smith was caught at deep backward square leg rather than leg gully.

Neil Wagner celebrates the wicket of Steve Smith in Perth. Photo / Photosport

It's important to note slight differences in New Zealand's approach compared to that of England. The Kiwis have been banging the ball in at shoulder height, hoping to draw an ill-conceived pull or hook shot, while the Poms aimed more for Smith's hip and ribs, wanting him to tuck a ball towards a fielder placed finer with a leg glance.

England also never stuck to one single plan to Smith for long enough whereas New Zealand has been far more disciplined - and reaped the rewards.

Aussie great turned Fox Cricket commentator Mike Hussey said the Kiwis had done a great job of playing on Smith's mind and exploiting his unusual technique with its clear strategy.

"Having the fielder there (at leg gully) and also the square leg in place, it was on his mind, no question," Hussey said during the first Test.

"He just didn't seem as confident flicking the ball through the leg side. He seemed more guarded and just wanting to have a bit more of a look.

"It's come about because he comes so far across the crease that it's harder for him to control the ball in that sort of area.

"It's hard because batting is instinctive. You see the ball and you play the shot but if he's in a position where he's so far across the crease, it's hard for him to control it more into a gap. It'll be interesting to see if he makes changes."

Coach Justin Langer has described Smith as the best problem solver in world cricket and it's hard to imagine the right-hander - who is yet to reach 50 this summer against Pakistan or New Zealand - being kept down for long.

You'd back Smith in to combat the Kiwi bowlers' leg-side trap in the next Test in Melbourne but the former captain may start asking himself some tough questions if he falls in similar fashion at the MCG.