Steve Smith brought out Australia from a troublesome situation with his another ton in the fourth Test of Ashes. The top-order batsmen were caught at a very early stage in which David Warner left out with a clear duck on the field. Once again, the battle went between him and England where his status is set as the greatest batsmen in the test cricket.
In the first session of the second day, Stuart Broad started his picks that he has resumed earlier. Broad caught Travis Head in front of the stumps with a scorcher where he went on to make 39 partnership with Smith. Later, Matthew Wade who joined at 48-over played for the next 45 minutes where Smith took complete charge of the innings.
Smith went on with complete command on the match and didn’t give any chance to the English bowlers to breathe. Wade was dismissed with some smart bowling from Jack Leach, but Smith continued to stay on the field alongside skipper Tim Paine. Smith in the 68th over, he brought up his 26th Test century and walked to standing cheers from the Old Trafford crowd.
Steve Smith made his 11th hundred in the Ashes and was recorded as the third-best run-getter in red-ball cricket history only after Sir Donald Bradman (19 centuries) and Sir Jack Hobbs (12 centuries). Steve Waugh was the only one seen to get a bit closer of Hobbs and Bradman in the last two decades.
It doesn’t seem much surprising if Smith catches up with Hobbs till the Ashes get ended up. He already equaled Sachin Tendulkar in the fourth position with his 11 tons against a single team. Bradman leads these charts with 19 against England, followed by Sunil Gavaskar’s 13 against West Indies and Jack Hobbs’s 12 against Australia.
Another hundred for @stevesmith49 as his technique of playing Archer by leaving his head in the dressing room pays off. pic.twitter.com/HJqOidg7Dy
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 5, 2019
This is the 4th series in which Smith has scored three (or more) centuries.
Most 3-century series:
5: Bradman, Sobers
4: Steve Smith, Kallis
3: Gavaskar, Harvey, Hayden, Lara, Warner, Weekeshttps://t.co/vGz7ofzjkZ— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) September 5, 2019
Steve Smith's last 12 innings v the Poms
143
141*
40
6
239
76
102*
83
144
142
92
101* (and counting)#Ashes— lehmo (@lehmo23) September 5, 2019
Steve Smith has missed one and a half Tests in this series. He is the leading scorer in the series by over 150 runs and his lowest score in four innings is 92.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) September 5, 2019
Steve Smith did not touch the sandpaper, he took the fall for others stupidity and actions. Courage & resilience to come back from a year of penance, then concussion, to face Pace and hostility & make another ashes century, has to be shown full respect. #legendary
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) September 5, 2019
You make mistake. You admit it. You cry. You apologize. But you don't look back. You only move forward. Keep moving until you get more than you lost.
Well played Steve Smith! 🙌 #Ashes
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) September 5, 2019
Live scenes from the birth of Steve Smith. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/jseTIq3dFU
— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) September 5, 2019
💯 Number 26 for @stevesmith49 what a player, we are witnessing greatness! #Genius #Ashes #ENGvAUS
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) September 5, 2019
… Steve Smith 😳!!! Whatever you may think of him.. What a player he is!!! #ENGvsAUS
— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell) September 5, 2019
CENTURY! What an absolute freak.
Test ton No.26 for Steve Smith – his 11th in #Ashes cricket and his third of the series. Remarkable player. pic.twitter.com/K0jdR8SU2a
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) September 5, 2019
Among all Test nations, across 142 years, only Don Bradman (19) has scored more Test centuries against England than Steve Smith's 11 #Ashes
— Andrew Ramsey (@ARamseyCricket) September 5, 2019
Man from another planet, law of averages also almost not applicable to him, holding together the Aussie innings. @stevesmith49#ENGvsAUS #Ashes2019
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) September 5, 2019
He's quirky but which genius isn't. And he is possessed of a very strong temperament. What a player, @stevesmith49 is. Absolute champion.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 5, 2019
A JOKE. https://t.co/li6DANNBOc
— Ben Duckett (@BenDuckett1) September 5, 2019
Nothing but admiration for @stevesmith49 … We are witnessing GREATNESS .. #Ashes
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 5, 2019
Steve Smith utterly extraordinary. Six hundreds in his last 12 innings against England, averaging 145 in this time.
— Tim (@timwig) September 5, 2019
