Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith reflected on scoring his 37th Test century, posting an unbeaten 129 at the end of Day 3. He credited the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), his home venue, for helping
him become the second-highest run-scorer in Ashes Tests with 3663 runs, trailing only the legendary Don Bradman, who has 5028 runs.
Smith reached his hundred by running three off a shot to fine leg from the bowling of Jocob Bethell. This marked his 13th Ashes century, with only Don Bradman scoring more (19). It was also Smith’s first century of this series.
The 36-year-old Australian’s tally of 3663 Ashes Test runs positions him second on the all-time list, just behind Don Bradman’s record of 5028.
“I just love batting here. Obviously, it’s my home deck. I know the ground really well, (and) when I get in here, I really like batting here. The pace of the wicket sort of suits the way I play, and I just love playing in front of this crowd,” Smith was quoted as saying Fox Cricket at stumps.
Glorious To Watch
Former Australian coach Simon Katich praised Smith’s performance on the ageing SCG pitch. “As convincing as it always has been in terms of accumulating, it wasn’t easy when he first went out there,” Katich was quoted as saying on SEN Cricket.
“They actually bowled quite well to him, compared to how they were going to Travis Head. They had a conventional field; they bowled a full length, but he got through that, and then once he got to that second new ball, that was going to be another tricky period.
“It wasn’t (tricky) for him, he knew exactly what he had to do, and then he came through that, and he played, probably for me, the shot of the day (with) that cover drive towards the end, where he just threw his hands through the line of the ball, and that was just glorious to watch. His record as captain – I think he averages 70 as captain; that’s phenomenal,” he added.
Smith’s century in Sydney was his first of this series and his 18th as captain, with six of those centuries coming against England, the most against any team as skipper.
(With inputs from Agencies)
