Steve Smith has etched his name deeper into cricket folklore, moving into outright second place behind the immortal Sir Donald Bradman as the greatest batter in Ashes history after scoring another masterful century against England at the SCG.
A Landmark Day at the Sydney Cricket Ground
On a significant Tuesday in Sydney, Australia's stand-in captain marched to his 37th Test hundred, a knock that was both gritty and graceful. This century was his 13th in the Ashes, moving him past the legendary Englishman Jack Hobbs, who had 12. Furthermore, during his innings, Smith surpassed Hobbs' tally of 3,636 runs in cricket's oldest rivalry. He now sits on a pedestal with only Bradman, who scored 5,028 runs and made hundreds in eight Ashes series, above him.
Smith's longevity is underscored by the fact he has now scored centuries in seven separate Ashes series. His latest effort ensured Australia would secure a sizeable first-innings lead, building perfectly on the platform laid by Travis Head's explosive 163.
Smith at His Meticulous Best
Playing on his home ground, Smith was a picture of concentration and technical mastery. His trademark cover drive returned with impact, and he punished anything over-pitched with precise drives straight down the ground. He provided the perfect foil to Head's aggression, expertly manipulating the field and turning the strike over, particularly when England deployed short-pitched tactics.
His hundred arrived in a relatively subdued manner, tapping a Jacob Bethell half-tracker behind square leg for three runs before raising his arms in celebration. It came off 166 balls, a testament to his ability to wear down an opponent after they had posted their best total of the Australian summer.
The only chance he offered was a difficult leg-slip opportunity put down by Zak Crawley when Smith was on 12. Otherwise, his innings was punctuated by the fastidious behaviour fans have come to expect: he halted play for stray paper on the sightscreen, was distracted by spectator movement, and even asked England's Brydon Carse to adjust his sunglasses on his cap due to a glare.
A Fitting Farewell or a Sign of Things to Come?
The innings took on added poignancy as Smith had strongly indicated on Saturday that he intends to play on and could feature in the 2027 Ashes series in England. If this was to be his final Test against England on home soil, it was a profoundly fitting farewell. Having missed the Adelaide Test through injury and had limited opportunities this series, this was Smith showcasing his skills at their peak.
Commentator Tim Lane captured the historical moment perfectly as Smith passed Hobbs' run tally with a single: "Sharp single and that's history. A mundane enough moment within the cricket match. But in the broader context, it is highly significant. Steve Smith, in 149 years of Ashes contest, is now the No.2 scorer, behind only Bradman."
While he remains one of cricket's most unique characters, Steve Smith can now lay official claim to a statistical truth: he is the greatest Ashes batter of the modern era and second only to the peerless Don Bradman in the annals of this fabled contest.
