Australia’s star batter Steve Smith has achieved a major milestone in Test cricket during the second Test against South Africa in Gqeberha.
Smith has become the third Australian batter to score 11,000 runs in Test cricket, joining former captains Ricky Ponting and Allan Border in an elite club. He reached the landmark in the first innings after scoring 28 runs off 88 balls before being bowled by Wiaan Mulder. Smith has also entered the list of the fastest batters to reach 11,000 Test runs. However, his personal achievement could not prevent Australia from suffering a batting collapse, as the visitors were bowled out for just 99 runs in their first innings.
What record did Steve Smith break against South Africa?
Steve Smith reached 11,000 runs in Test cricket during the second Test against South Africa in Gqeberha. He achieved the milestone in his 226th Test innings, becoming the fifth-fastest batter to reach the mark, according to the statistics provided.
Smith went past former India captain Rahul Dravid and South African great Jacques Kallis, who both took 234 innings to reach 11,000 Test runs. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara remains the fastest to achieve the feat, having reached the landmark in 208 innings, while West Indies legend Brian Lara is second with 213 innings.
Who are the fastest batters to score 11,000 Test runs?
Smith has joined an elite group of batters who have scored at least 11,000 runs in Test cricket. His achievement places him among some of the greatest players in the history of the longest format.
Kumar Sangakkara leads the list, having reached the milestone in 208 innings. Brian Lara follows with 213 innings, while Smith achieved the feat in 226 innings. Smith’s record highlights his consistency and ability to score runs at the highest level over a long career.
How did Steve Smith join Ricky Ponting and Allan Border?
With this achievement, Smith has become only the third Australian batter to score 11,000 or more runs in Test cricket.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting leads the country’s all-time Test run-scoring chart with 13,378 runs. Allan Border is second among the Australian greats mentioned here, having scored 11,174 runs during his Test career.
Smith has now joined these two former captains in the elite club. If he continues to score runs, he will have an opportunity to move closer to Border’s tally and eventually challenge Ponting’s Australian record.
Why did Australia struggle despite Steve Smith’s milestone?
While Smith created history, Australia endured a disappointing performance with the bat in the second Test against South Africa. The visitors were bowled out for just 99 runs in their first innings after struggling against the South African bowling attack.
Fast bowler Marco Jansen led the attack with five wickets, while Wiaan Mulder picked up two wickets, including Smith’s. The South African bowlers kept the pressure on Australia’s batters and prevented them from building partnerships.
Australia’s collapse meant that Smith’s personal milestone could not provide much relief for the team, which fell well short of South Africa’s first-innings total.
What happened after Australia were bowled out for 99?
After dismissing Australia for 99, South Africa gained a massive first-innings lead and enforced the follow-on. The decision put further pressure on the visitors, who had to bat again without much time to recover from their first-innings collapse.
While Smith’s achievement was a significant individual milestone, Australia’s batting performance remained a major concern. South Africa’s bowlers had taken control of the match, leaving Australia with a difficult task in their second innings.