Steve Smith breaks records of Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar
As many as 14 wickets fell on Da 1 of the World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa but Australia's Steve Smith stood tall with the bat in hand. The moving ball and wickets falling at the other end did not affect Smith as he grinded out his runs to give Australia something to defend in the first innings.
Continuing his great time at the Lord's Cricket Ground, Smith now has the most runs for an overseas batter at the iconic venue. He batter now has 591 runs in the six matches and 10 innings in the London stadium. He has three half-centuries and two hundreds with a highest score at Home of Cricket of 215.
When Smith entered the crease on Wednesday, he was fourth on the list of highest run-scorers at Lord's (among overseas batters). By the time he was dismissed, he rose to the top of the list, overtaking Australia's Warren Bardsley (575 runs in 5 matches), West Indies' Garfield Sobers (571 runs in 5 matches), and Australia's Don Bradman (551 runs in 4 matches).
Steve Smith (591 runs)Warren Bardsley (575 runs) Sir Garfield Sobers (571 runs)
Sir Donald Bradman (551 runs)Shivnarine Chanderpaul (512 runs)Dilip Vengsarkar (508 runs)Allan Border (503)
Smith also overtook legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, climbing up to the second spot among batters with the highest number of fifty-plus scores in ICC knockout matches.This is the 36-year-old's seventh fifty-plus score in ICC event knockout matches, overtaking Tendulkar, who had six such scores in 15 matches, scoring 682 runs at an average of 48.71 with a century and five fifties.
However, Virat Kohli has the top spot in ICC knockout matches and is the only player to have made 1,000 runs in such encounter. He has made 1,024 runs in 22 matches and 24 innings at an average of 51.20, with a century and nine fifties (a total of 10 fifty-plus scores) and best score of 117 against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinal at Mumbai.
On Day 1, Australia were bowled out for 212 runs, riding on Smith and Beau Webster's half centuries. Kagiso Rabada picked up five wickets for South Africa. Australia reduced SA to 43/4 by the end of the day's playSpeaking after the day's play, Smith humorously admitted to an error in judgment that cost him his wicket."Don't nick the part-time off-spinner. Down the slope. I'm still trying to fathom how I've done that. But yeah, don't do that," Smith said, referring to his dismissal to Markram.Reflecting on the pitch and the evolving nature of the game, Smith added, "Just play what's in front of us. It might take a bit more spin as the game wears on. It's pretty dry. I don't know, the seam might go down as the game goes on as well, potentially. So, I think the bounce is going to be variable throughout the game, as we've seen already on day one."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
26 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Can't Single Out..., It's Backstabbing": Shreyas Iyer Suffers Another Final Heartbreak After IPL
When it comes to finals, Shreyas Iyer 's luck doesn't seem to be on his side. Just 10 days after his side, Punjab Kings, suffered a defeat at the hands of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final, Iyer was at the center of another runners-up show in the Mumbai T20 league. Iyer's side, SoBo Mumbai Falcons, were beaten by Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals, with the batter himself failing to fire in the title-decider, much like what happened in the IPL final. Batting first, the Falcons could only put 157 runs on the board, with Mayuresh Tandel (50) and Harsh Aghav (45) being the top-scoring batters for the team. Iyer could only score 12 off 17 balls while Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who plays for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, also faltered, scoring 7 runs in 12 balls. Chasing the target, the Maratha Royals saw Chinmay Rajesh Sutar and Awais Khan Naushad lead the run chase, scoring 53 and 38 respectively. The Maratha Royals chased down the target with 4 balls to spare. After the game, a heartbroken Iyer said that he didn't want to single anyone out for the defeat as that's 'backstabbing'. "Don't want to pinpoint any particular incident. Overall, the boys were brilliant with their efforts. We lost just one game en route to the final. Just a one-off game where you can't single out anyone - it's basically backstabbing, and I don't enjoy that. We've learnt a lot. "It's pretty common to feel dejected after a final loss. It must hurt them. But when they come back next year, they'll have that extra motivation and confidence. They should be proud of their effort," he added. Indian cricket icon Rohit Sharma was also present at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai for the final, and even gave the runners-up medal to Iyer after his team endured a defeat. Rohit Sharma Giving Runners Up Check To Shreyas Iyer. — (@jod_insane) June 12, 2025 Iyer didn't have the best of the tournamnent himself, failing to go past the 25-run mark in any of the 5 matches he played.
NDTV
26 minutes ago
- NDTV
Australia Captain Pat Cummins Says Bowler-Dominated WTC Final Still A 'Good Test'
Australia captain Pat Cummins said the World Test Championship final against South Africa was a good advertisement for Test cricket despite hurtling towards a likely finish within three days. An astounding 28 wickets fell across the first two days at Lord's. Fast bowler Cummins played his part by taking a superb 6-28 on Thursday's second day to reach the milestone of 300 Test wickets. But as batsmen on both sides struggled for runs, an eighth-wicket partnership of 61 between Alex Carey (43) and Mitchell Starc (16 not out) enabled reigning champions Australia to reach stumps on 144-8 in their second innings, a lead of 218 with two wickets standing. "It's set up pretty well," Cummins told reporters. "The mood in the changing room is pretty positive. It was a great partnership and a good way to end the day." Asked whether the bowlers' dominance detracted from the occasion of a championship final, Cummins replied: "After two days it's pretty close to 50-50. "It's a pretty good Test match. Some blokes have got themselves in and looked comfortable out there, but a lot of other guys haven't." Cummins said the rapid progress of the match was down to a combination of a tricky pitch and good bowling. "Both teams have bowled really well, really disciplined," he said. "There haven't been many half-volleys." The 32-year-old, appearing in his 68th Test, added: "The trend of the game is that the runs are coming down. It's still pretty difficult out there, but we will have to bowl well tomorrow (Friday)." 'Durability and longevity' Cummins was outstanding as South Africa were dismissed for 138, giving Australia a 74-run lead on first innings, with the skipper especially devastating in a potent post-lunch burst of 4-1 in 17 balls. His return on Thursday took Cummins to exactly 300 Test wickets -- something he described as "pretty cool" -- at a miserly average of 22.08. Cummins, just the eighth Australia bowler to reach the landmark, added: "There's not too many on that list. It's something I've always thought about. "It's a pretty good sign of durability and longevity." David Bedingham, who top-scored for South Africa with 45, agreed with Cummins about the standard of bowling. "It's a fairly tricky pitch, but I think when you have six quality seamers on a tricky pitch it obviously makes batting tough." Nevertheless, Bedingham said South Africa remained confident of a successful run chase, even though their target will be signficantly higher than their first-innings total. "It is an amazing chance and we are very excited about the opportunity to win," he said, with South Africa bidding for their first major global title in 28 years. "It could go either way but there is a lot of belief. "I think the pitch is slowing down a bit and maybe in the fourth innings it will go a bit straighter. Hopefully, we can get those runs."
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Patrick Mahomes' Messi moment sends fans buzzing as Chiefs tease World Cup role
Patrick Mahomes channels Leo Messi moment (Credit: Twitter/Instagram) Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes left fans stunned this week after effortlessly pulling off a Messi-like backheel trick with a football — a move that quickly caught fire on social media and drew laughs, admiration, and even a cheeky World Cup reference. In a short clip posted by the Chiefs, Mahomes can be seen casually flicking the ball behind his leg — mimicking a classic move often seen from football maestro Lionel Messi . While Mahomes is known for his no-look throws and athletic improvisation on the gridiron, this unexpected display of soccer skills had fans doing a double take. Chiefs join the World Cup fun Capitalising on the viral moment, the Chiefs tagged FIFA and quipped, '@FIFAWorldCup, see you in a year.' The playful caption referenced the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, for which Arrowhead Stadium — home to the Chiefs — is one of the selected host venues. Mahomes' surprise footwork resonated especially well considering his ties to the sport. He's a part-owner of Kansas City Current, the city's NWSL club, alongside his wife Brittany Mahomes, a former professional soccer player. His involvement in both football codes adds a unique authenticity to the moment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 오스템 임플란트 받아가세요 임플란터 더 알아보기 Undo "He's the GOAT of his profession, and to have someone like that at the game will be awesome because I'll get to showcase who I am and what talent I have," Mahomes said earlier while praising Messi, highlighting how the two icons represent peak excellence in their respective sports. Fan reactions light up the internet The moment quickly gained traction across platforms with fans from both the NFL and global football communities chiming in. One comment read, 'Nothing surprises me about Patrick anymore.' Another joked, 'Successfully Americanized. Messi's got the Mahomes touch now.' A viral reaction poked fun at the crossover, saying, 'The greatest athlete in sports history… and Messi's also in the photo!' Even neutral fans were impressed, calling it 'GOATs colliding in real time.' Also read: Sterling Mahomes wins internet with sweet moment, proving she's more than just Brittany's mini-me With crossover moments like this, Mahomes continues to stretch his brand beyond football, tapping into the energy of a truly global audience.
