For the second time, Studious Smith surpasses limitations.
Steve Smith is en route to another Test cricket century.
Steve Smith has a history of being picky about his game’s finer points. You’d think Smith has his game down to a science with close to 9000 Test runs at an average of nearly 60. For the 34-year-old, though, change is always being replaced.
Smith’s trigger movements in the crease earlier this year—or rather, their absence—had undergone a notable alteration. He explained that he intentionally chose to put the too aggressive shuffle over on hold so that he could access the off-side much more frequently. That trademarked shuffle and trigger were back in use for the WTC championship, and this was no coincidence.
Smith said in a press conference following the second day of play at The Oval, where he hit his 31st Test hundred, “It definitely worked when I was here last time.
And yes, just because I find myself in those places doesn’t mean I’ll stay there forever. I may occasionally return to my old playing methods when I believe it’s required, but on this surface and the bowlers I was facing, I thought that was the best course of action.
Short turnaround time for a response. I guess that movement is definitely more in line with who I am. It didn’t take long, so no, it wasn’t long. Since I wasn’t entirely happy with the positions I was getting into in my first two county games here, I actually batted the other way before switching to that strategy in the third game. That being said, it went quickly. I only needed one blow to the middle to be okay.
The foundation of Australia’s impressive first innings performance was Smith and Travis Head’s 285-run partnership, in which the former deftly took a backseat to his partner’s astounding counterattack.
Smith was on 95 as the day began, and it didn’t take him long to reach his usual three-figure mark, stroking Mohammed Siraj for two successive fours to reach his 31st Test century. Smith was full of praise for Head’s lecture despite his happiness over reaching a personal milestone.
Naturally, a great partnership with Trav, who batted superbly throughout the middle session yesterday. He reapplied pressure to their bowlers and caused them to stray from their lengths, which, in my opinion, benefited me at the other end as well.