Ashes 2nd Test: Steve Smith becomes fastest Australian batter to score 9000 runs in Test cricket
Steve Smith broke an Australian record for the fastest batter to score 9000 runs in Test cricket.
The star batter achieved the feat on Day 1 of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s against England on Wednesday, June 28. Smith needed 31 runs to get to the landmark in his 99th Test and he got there after a brisk start to his innings in the second match of the 5-Test series.
Steve Smith needed 174 innings to get to the milestone, 2 more than Kumar Sangakkara who holds the world record for the fastest to 9000 runs in Test cricket. However, Smith has broken Ricky Ponting’s Australian record of 177 innings for 9000 Test runs. Ponting achieved the feat in 2006 against England in Brisbane in an Ashes Test.
Steve Smith has got to the 9,000 Test runs quicker than anyone else in the world when considering the number of matches – 99. Brian Lara was the quickest in terms of matches when he got there in his 101st Test match. However, he is the second-best in terms of innings taken, behind Sri Lanka great Sangakkara.
FASTEST TO 9,000 TEST RUNS (INNINGS)
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) – 172 in 2011
Steve Smith (Australia) – 174 in 2023
Rahul Dravid (India) -176 in 2006
Brian Lara (West Indies) – 177 in 2004
Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 177 in 2006
Steve Smith was given out early in his innings when he was beaten by a brilliant outswinger by Stuart Broad on Wednesday. However, he quickly took a review and made the on-field umpire overturn his decision as the ball had missed the bat by a good margin.
Smith looked brisk from the moment he walked into bat, hitting fluent drives at Lord’s, a ground where he loves batting.
Smith and Marnus Labuschagne had stitched a 70-plus stand in the second session after Australia lost David Warner for 66 after Lunch.
Earlier in the day, Australia, who were sent into bat, lost Birmingham centurion Usman Khawaja early to Josh Tongue who also got the big wicket of a well-set Warner for 14.
The 2nd Test began with an interruption as protestors invaded the pitch before one of them was carried off by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
Australia are looking to take 2-0 lead in the Ashes series after having neutralized Bazball in the opening Test at Edgbaston.