Australia’s talismanic batsman Steven Smith is in the form of his life. Smith completed his 10 consecutive fifty against England to become the only batsman to score 10 straight half-centuries in Test format. Smith went past the record of former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq and former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd. The right-hander last 10 innings score read as 239, 76, 102*, 83, 144, 142, 92, 211, 82, 80.
Inzamam had scored nine successive fifties against England from 2001-2006 whereas Lloyd had also scored as many half-centuries against England. Thus, England has been on the receiving end.
Smith is on fire.
On the other hand, Jacques Kallis and Kumar Sangakkara had scored eight straight fifties against Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively.
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Meanwhile, Steven Smith is on a roll. The right-hander has scored 751 runs thus far in the six innings at an unbelievable average of 150.20. The right-hander was dismissed for 80 runs by Chris Woakes.
England bowlers have not been able to crack the code of getting him out throughout the series. The right-hander also had the rub of the green on his side as he was dropped by Joe Root when he was on 63 runs.
On the other hand, Australia is currently 201-8 and they are in arrears by 93 runs. England had managed to post a score of 294 after Australian skipper Tim Paine won the toss and elected to bowl first. Mitchell Marsh who was making a Test comeback was the pick of the tourists’ bowlers as he scalped a five-wicket haul whereas Jos Buttler top-scored with 70 runs.
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Australia has already retained the Ashes as they lead the series by 2-1. The visitors have been the better side and would also like to clinch the series. Smith has scored three centuries and as many fifties in the series. In fact, he hasn’t been dismissed before 50 runs in the series.
