Ben Stokes was given out for obstructing the field during Australia’s win at Lord’s on Saturday when a throw from Mitchell Starc struck his hand.
Stokes insists he was protecting himself; Australia believed the all-rounder’s gesture prevented a run-out and their appeal was upheld by third umpire Joel Wilson.
England must win the third game of the five-match campaign at Old Trafford tomorrow to keep the series alive.
England captain Eoin Morgan believes Smith should have called back Stokes after he had been given out and the England man has stressed his innocence.
He told ESPNcricinfo: “A guy was standing there five feet away from me and it was just a complete reaction. I didn’t put my hand there wilfully, it was purely out of human reaction to protect myself.
“But the decision was made, there’s nothing I can do but it wasn’t wilful whatsoever.
“The crowd maybe got a bit out of control, there was a lot of booing going on with the incident. It’s one of those decisions where you can’t look back and have any regrets because it’s been made, you can’t change what’s happened, it’s just a shame it came to the uproar it has.
“It probably took away from the fact that we haven’t actually played very good cricket in the first couple of games which is the biggest thing for us so we just have to put it behind us.”
Australia batsman George Bailey believes Morgan has made a rod for his own back by saying Smith should have given Stokes a reprieve.
Bailey said: “It’s a big call for Eoin to say that. If that’s how he feels, I assume that means any time a batsman nicks one into his pad and is given out lbw, or wrongfully given out caught behind, he will call them back as well.
“That’s his prerogative as captain. If I had been captain I would have done the same thing as Steve Smith. The correct decision was made.”
Meanwhile, David Warner has apologised for some of Australia’s poor performances on this tour.
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England’s wins at Cardiff, Edgbaston and Trent Bridge meant they regained the Ashes, with the latter two matches completed inside three days.
Warner leaves the tour early after a delivery from Steve Finn at Lord’s broke his thumb.
The vice-captain wrote on his Instagram account: “Sorry for those who purchased days four and five tickets and did not get to see any cricket. Very kind of you @finnysteve to break my thumb. It has been a tough summer.”
