New Delhi: The second Test of Ashes 2023 between England and Australia is currently underway at the Lord’s. On Day 2 of the Lord’s Test, Australia’s star batter Steve Smith created history by equalling former Australia captain Steve Waugh’s record for the second-highest number of Test centuries by an Australian player.
The 34-year-old also become the fourth Australian to have his name etched onto the Lord’s Test batting honours board multiple times, joining Warren Bardsley, Sir Don Bradman, and Bill Brown to score multiple Test hundreds at Lord’s
Smith is the fastest to smash 12 Test centuries in the 99th match. Smith now has only Ricky Ponting, who has scored 41 centuries, in his sights on Australia’s all-time Test ton-scoring charts.
Steve Smith in the last 4 innings in Tests at Lord’s:
215(346), 58(58), 92(161), 110(184) pic.twitter.com/JPBu5Csgc2
Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 29, 2023
Steve Smith in the last 13 innings in Tests in England:
143(252), 144(219), 142(207), 92(161), 211(319), 82(92), 80(145), 23(53), 121(268), 34(47), 16(59), 6(13) & 110(184). pic.twitter.com/VO7tzxXSgL
Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 29, 2023
Not only Waugh Smith also passed Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most centuries by a player against a single opponent. This is his 12th century against Australia, while Tendulkar had scored 11 against the same opposition. Legendary batters Sunil Gavaskar and Bradman are the only players who are ahead of him. Gavaskar had scored 13 centuries against the West Indies while Bradman had 19 tons against England.
Australia Shines in 2nd Ashes Test
Smith’s played a brilliant knock of 110 off 184 balls which came to an end in the 96th over when he fell to Josh Tongue as he went hard on the drive and the outside edge went flying to the left of Duckett at Gully who showed good reflexes to grab the low catch. As soon as Smith got out, Australia was bowled out for 416 in their first innings.