Steve Smith has moved into second place on the all-time Ashes run-scorers list, passing England legend Jack Hobbs during his innings of 129 not out on the third day of the fifth Test in Sydney. Only Don Bradman, with 5,028 runs against England, now stands ahead of Smith, who reached 3,636 runs to surpass Hobbs's tally.
Smith's milestone came in his 41st Ashes Test, the same number Hobbs played, though Smith has batted twice more. The Australian also moved past Hobbs with his 13th Ashes century, breaking their tie of 12. Hobbs's record had stood for nearly a century, with his career overlapping Bradman's debut in the 1928-29 series.
The innings was not without its struggles, as Smith appeared restless early on, attempting unorthodox shots and missing or making partial contact. He settled after building partnerships, hitting trademark cover drives and later sending Jacob Bethell into the stands to raise his century. Smith also entertained the crowd with a forehand smash reminiscent of his 2014 innings against India.
This was Smith's second Ashes hundred since the 2019 series, after a period of dominance where he scored 11 centuries in 32 innings. His recent returns have been more modest, with this century coming in his 27th Ashes innings since that streak. The series has been challenging for Smith, with three not-outs due to small run chases and a missed Test in Adelaide.
Travis Head, who scored 163 in Sydney, remains Australia's most important batter in the current series, providing the foundation for Smith's innings. Smith's achievement places him among the greatest in Ashes history, second only to Bradman.
