Australia took command of the Sydney Test match on Thursday, January 5, with twin centuries. Former captain Steve Smith hit the 30th century of his Test career, passing the legendary Donald Bradman, one of Australia’s best-ever batsmen.
Smith scored 104 runs from 192 balls, including two sixes and eleven boundaries. Smith scored his century with a vicious pull stroke after defending a pair of balls from South Africa’s Anrich Nortje. After looking well in Melbourne, the Australian batter came up just short of his century. In the game’s first innings, he scored 85 runs for Australia.
Smith’s century brings his Test run total to 8647, the fourth-best in Australia’s history. Ricky Ponting tops the list, followed by Alan Border, Steve Waugh, and Smith.
Smith accompanied Usman Khawaja, who started at 54* on Day 1 and finished with his fourth consecutive century in Sydney. The pair scored 209 runs off 377 balls against the visiting side, who looked helpless in the face of both hitters’ solidity.
Keshav Maharaj dismissed Smith shortly after his century when the batter threw a full delivery from the lower portion of his bat right into the bowler’s hands.
Australia is 378/3 in 114 overs at the time of writing, with Khawja and Travis Head in the middle. Australia will be hoping to complete a clean sweep of South Africa with another victory in the New Year Test.
