Steve Smith mowing down some significant records with another century against England
THE amazing Steve Smith continued on his rampant journey with his 22nd century that has taken him to a stratosphere where only Planet Don (Bradman) is floating somewhere high above.
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YOU could just tell it in their faces.
The way they stood. Where they put their hands – often on their hips.
England have simply run out of ideas where to bowl to Steve Smith.
Short pitched? No they don’t have the pace.
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Wide? No, he either leaves them or belts them.
Straight? No. He’s dynamite through the leg side.
Full. Ouch. Don’t even try it.
Spin? Pardon me? He eats it for breakfast.
All of these have come and gone and the series is not yet half over.
The amazing Smith continued on his rampant journey on Friday in a space craft that has taken him to a stratosphere where only Planet Don (Bradman) is floating somewhere high above and has the likes of Greg Chappell and Ricky Ponting in his slipstream.
Smith had that “I mean business’’ look about him as soon as he took the crease at the WACA.
England had taken two quick wickets and his entire body language from the instant he walked through the gate radiated the vibe: “I will not be dominated. Back in your box, England.’’
He looked not one but several classes above any other Australian batsmen.
Smith’s record is getting almost beyond belief.
His numbers alone are dam-busting but to gain true perspective you have to line up other champions beside him and it is here, to borrow Ray Robinson’s line about Bradman, that he makes other people’s purple patches look like washed-out lilac.
His record says he is Australia’s best since Bradman.
His 22nd Test century gave him the same number of tons as two of the greatest Ashes batsmen of all time – Geoffrey Boycott and Wally Hammond.
The difference is Boycott, at the WACA commentating, played 49 more Tests than Smith and Hammond 26 more. Extraordinary.
He is just two shy of the great Viv Richards who played 121 Tests to Smith’s current total of 59. That’s more than double.
It’s hard to believe as a youngster he never once looked at a coaching manual.
His technique was based on facing a truckload of balls until the next truckload arrived.
As quirky as he is, his game is an instinctive as a touch typist.
When he came to the wicket he soon crunched four off-side fours. Yet they were all different.
A languid drive, a powerhouse crunch, a punch behind point and a stretched out cover drive.
His fearlessness was such he brazenly hooked Stuart Broad over the head of Moeen Ali in the deep for six. Broad put his hands on his head, as he did when Smith short-arm jabbed another boundary through midwicket.
Yet for all that, he was happy to drop anchor if England challenged his temperament.
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