Steve Smith Scripts History With Ashes Ton

Steve Smith Scripts History With Ashes Ton

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Steve Smith, the Australian batting maestro, showcased his exceptional form on English soil as he recorded his 32nd Test century during the second Ashes Test against England at the hallowed Lord’s cricket ground. Smith’s magnificent knock of 110 runs off 184 deliveries was a testament to his impeccable skills, embellished with 15 sublime boundaries.

With this century, Smith now occupies the second position on the list of Australian players with the most Test centuries, trailing behind the legendary Ricky Ponting, who amassed a staggering 41 centuries in his illustrious career. Notably, Smith shares the same number of centuries, 32, with another Australian great, Steve Waugh. However, what sets Smith apart is his remarkable speed in achieving this milestone. He reached the mark of 32 centuries in only his 99th Test match, making him the fastest player in history to achieve this feat in terms of innings played, as reported by cricket.com.au.

Furthermore, Smith’s century at Lord’s marked his eighth Test hundred in England, solidifying his reputation as one of the most prolific run-scorers on English soil. Only the legendary Sir Donald Bradman, with eleven centuries, has more centuries than Smith by a foreign player in England. Additionally, Smith’s remarkable display at Lord’s increased his tally to 12 centuries in Ashes matches, a testament to his prowess and consistency in one of cricket’s most iconic rivalries. Surpassing the likes of other Ashes greats, Smith now finds himself second only to Sir Donald Bradman, who notched up a staggering 19 centuries in the Ashes, according to ESPN Cricinfo.

Moreover, Smith etched his name on the prestigious honors board at Lord’s, joining the elite company of Warren Bardsley, Sir Donald Bradman, and Bill Brown as the only Australian players to have achieved the feat of scoring multiple Test centuries at the Home of Cricket. Bardsley achieved this feat in 1912 and 1926, Bradman in 1930 and 1938, and Brown in 1934 and 1938, further enhancing Smith’s place in cricket history.

Lord’s holds a special significance for Smith, as it was the venue of his Test debut back in 2010 against Pakistan. In the 2015 Ashes, he left an indelible mark with a monumental innings of 215 at the same ground. However, Lord’s also witnessed a brutal incident during the 2019 Ashes when England’s Jofra Archer concussed Smith, making it one of the most memorable and contentious moments in the history of the fierce rivalry between the two nations.

Smith’s return to form at Lord’s after a rare failure in the previous Test at Birmingham provided a glimmer of hope for England, who were hoping to avoid a repeat of his astonishing run-scoring spree during the 2019 Ashes series, where he amassed a staggering 774 runs in just four Test matches. Despite England’s aspirations, Smith’s attacking yet cautious strokeplay ensured that he registered yet another century, demonstrating his ability to thrive under pressure.

During his remarkable innings, Smith achieved another milestone by surpassing 9,000 Test runs, joining an elite group of cricketers. Only Kumar Sangakkara reached this milestone in fewer innings, taking just 172 compared to Smith’s 174.

Shifting focus to the match itself, Australia posted a formidable total of 416 runs in their first innings. Alongside Smith’s century, Travis Head contributed a valuable 77 runs off 73 balls, while David Warner played a brisk knock of 66 runs from 88 deliveries. England’s bowlers faced a challenging task, with Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson picking up three wickets each, and their captain Joe Root claiming two wickets. The veteran pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad managed to secure a wicket apiece, highlighting the quality of the Australian batting lineup.

As the match progressed, England commenced their first innings in response to Australia’s total, setting the stage for an engrossing battle between bat and ball.

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