Steven Smith put a splendid batting performance against the West Indies in the 2nd Test match in Jamaica but was unlucky to have missed his double century just by 1 run! Smith, in his last six Tests, has managed 998 runs at an average of 124.75, including five hundreds and two fifties!
Smith, who stood in as captain against India after Michael Clarke pulled out due to injury, is now serving as the backbone of the Aussie batting as he went on to score his highest Test score and joined an exclusive club of Australian greats.
Smith (199) has recorded his highest Test score, suprassing his previous best of 192 versus India at Melbourne in December 2014.
Smith is the third Australian batsman after Matthew Elliott and Steve Waugh and the 11th overall to miss a double hundred by just one run in Tests. Kumar Sangakkara and Andy Flower remained unbeaten on 199 in Tests.
Widely viewed as Australia’s next Test captain, Smith’s ninth Test hundred is his first versus the West Indies. He was very unlucky as he was batting on 199 and his leg was trapped by Jerome Taylor before the wicket. Taylor finished with his career best figures of 25-10-47-6.
Smith’s 199 is the third highest by an Australian batsman against the West Indies at Kingston — the highest being Neil Harvey’s 204 in June 1955. Steve Waugh had scored exactly 200 at this venue in April/May 1995.