Steve Smith, an experienced hitter from Australia, set two big records with his gutsy half-century in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final against South Africa here at The Lord’s on Wednesday.
When the reigning champions were in trouble at 16/2, the right-handed hitter came out to bat and showed how tough he was against a South African bowling attack that was full of energy. The 36-year-old faced 112 balls in tough conditions and scored a gutsy half-century, which was his sixth fifty-plus score in ICC tournament knockout matches.
Because of this, Smith passed Sachin Tendulkar, India’s greatest batsman, who had six fifty-plus innings in 15 knockout matches. Virat Kohli of India is at the top of the list of players who have scored fifty or more runs in ICC knockouts, having done so nine times.
Steve Smith’s 66-run knock also put him at the top of the record of overseas batsmen with the most Test runs at The Lord’s, bringing his total to 578. The right-handed batter’s strong knock beat out Warren Bardsley (575), Sir Garfield Sobers of the West Indies (571), Sir Donald Bradman of Australia (551), and Shivnarine Chanderpaul of the West Indies (512).
His record-breaking knock and Beau Webster’s 92-ball 72 helped Australia score 212 runs before they were bowled out in 56.4 overs. Kagiso Rabada was South Africa’s best bowler, collecting five wickets for 51 runs in 15.4 overs. Jansen, another pacer, helped him out by taking three wickets, and spinners Aiden Markram and Maharaj each took one.
In response, Australia’s fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, captain Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, who was back in the team, took apart South Africa’s top order to put the defending champions in front.
Starc got two wickets, and Cummins and Hazlewood each got one to bring South Africa down to 43/4 in 22 overs, when the Stumps were called. Temba Bavuma, the captain, and David Bedingham, a middle-order batter, both went out without getting out. They will start South Africa’s first innings on the second day, still 169 runs behind.
