Steve Smith’s stranglehold over England has continued with the Australian star’s twelfth Ashes ton serving to the vacationers to 416 of their first innings at Lord’s.
Australia misplaced their final 5 wickets for 77 runs on Thursday’s second morning, opening the way in which for England to combat their manner again into the second Test after the guests had been at one level 3-316 late on day one.
But with clouds overhead and the ball transferring round on a inexperienced wicket, Australia would nonetheless have taken a complete of past 400 after being despatched in by England.
Smith’s 110 drew him degree with Steve Waugh for the second-most centuries by an Australian with 32.
It is towards England he has had his most success.
Smith’s twelfth Ashes century has him behind solely Sir Donald Bradman (19) for essentially the most in historical past, degree in second place alongside English nice Jack Hobbs.
Smith additionally now averages 58.81 within the Ashes, the third highest in Ashes historical past behind Bradman and Mike Hussey of all Australian or English gamers with 20 innings or extra.
These Lord’s runs may show amongst his most important, with Australia pushing to go 2-0 up within the sequence after their thrilling two-wicket win at Edgbaston.
The 34-year-old’s innings additionally got here on his first go to again to Lord’s since being felled by a brutal Jofra Archer bouncer in the course of the 2019 sequence and was dominated out with concussion.
Smith briefly appeared liable to working out of companions on Thursday, when Alex Carey was trapped lbw by Stuart Broad and Mitchell Starc edged off shortly after.
But with Pat Cummins on the different finish, Smith introduced up three-figures when he drove James Anderson by the covers, holding his arms aloft to a beneficiant applause.
He produced a superb whip off the pads subsequent ball for 4, however was out driving arduous at one exterior off stump shortly after when caught at gully off Josh Tongue (3-98).
Cummins’ unbeaten 22 then took Australia previous 400, earlier than Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood succumbed to Ollie Robinson (3-100) and left the captain stranded.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
