Steve Smith 'like a computer' says Steve Waugh, after twin Ashes tons
"He hits more balls than I've ever seen anyone hit and when he goes out to bat it's almost like he's in a trance-like state"
Monday 5 August 2019 10:17, UK
Steve Waugh compared the "incredible" Steve Smith to a computer as the Australia batsman completed twin tons in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston to help put his side in command.
Smith followed up his first-innings 144 with 142 in the second as Australia reached 487-7 declared - Matthew Wade also scoring a century - to set England 398 to win the first game of the five-match series.
Waugh - the last Australian captain to win an Ashes series in England, in 2001, and a mentor for the Baggy Greens on this tour - says Smith, who now averages 62.96 in Test cricket, has an unmatched desire for run-scoring.
"I've never seen anything like him, he's an incredible player - his appetite for runs is second to none," Waugh told Australian TV station Channel 9.
"His preparation is amazing, he's thorough, he hits more balls than I've ever seen anyone hit and when he goes out to bat it's almost like he's in a trance-like state.
"He knows exactly what he's trying to do, exactly what the opposition are trying to do, how they are trying to get him out. He seems to have answer for everything.
"His technique is amazing, it's unique, but he knows what he's doing and how to score runs. He analyses every ball and it's like a computer - he spits out the answer."
Smith's stunning statistics
- Smith is the fifth Australian to score two centuries in the same Ashes Test:
W Bardsley, 136 and 130, The Oval, 1909
AR Morris, 122 and 124no, Adelaide, 1946/47
S Waugh, 106 and 116, Old Trafford, 1997
M Hayden, 197 and 103, 2002/2003
S Smith, 144 and 142, Birmingham, 2019
- Smith has now scored 1,116 runs in his last 10 Ashes innings - 143, 141*, 40, 6, 239, 76, 102*, 83, 144, 142
- The only other Australian batsman to score as many as 800 runs in 10 successive innings against England is Don Bradman, who peaked with 1,236 runs between January 1937 and December 1946.
- Smith reached 25 Test centuries in just 119 innings. Twenty-two batsmen have scored that many - Smith is the second quickest to get there in terms of innings, behind only Bradman (68 innings) and ahead of Virat Kohli (127), Sachin Tendulkar (130), Sunil Gavaskar (138) and Matthew Hayden (139).
- He is also only the fourth player to ever make two scores of over 140 in the same Test:
AR Border, 150 and 153 not out, Australia against Pakistan, Lahore, 1980
A Flower, 142 and 199no, Zimbabwe against South Africa, Harare, 2001
T Dilshan, 162 and 143, Sri Lanka versus Bangladesh, Chittagong, 2009
S Smith, 144 and 142, Australia against England, Edgbaston, 2019
- Finally, he is the first opposition player to score twin centuries at Birmingham. Only Marcus Trescothick, versus West Indies in 2004, had previously managed that feat at the ground.
Smith: "It feels like Christmas morning"
Smith told Sky Sports' Ian Ward at stumps: "It did overcome me a little bit and I had to take a few breaths. It's really special and I'm really grateful to be back playing Test cricket.
"I love playing Test cricket and I love playing against England. It feels like Christmas morning every morning getting to come and do this.
"To be playing for my country and wearing this cap, I'm really honoured and grateful."
Watch day five of the first Ashes Test from 10am on Monday on Sky Sports The Ashes (channel 404) and Main Event (401). Click here to upgrade now.
