Australian star Steve Smith has created more history after bringing up yet another century against England on day two of the second Ashes Test.
Smith, starting off unbeaten on 85 after looking in complete control on the opening day, went patiently to his latest three-figure masterpiece on Thursday morning at the home of cricket.
The Sydneysider had a scare when beaten by Stuart Broad on 99 but he reached his ton soon after with a glorious cover drive off James Anderson and was given a warm embrace from his batting partner, captain Pat Cummins.
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With the triple-figure score, he has become just the third player ever to hit 12 centuries in Ashes tests and the first since Sir Donald Bradman, who finished with 19 to his name, reached the mark in 1937.
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England’s Jack Hobbs (12) is the only other player in history to hit 12 tons.
It was also Smith’s 32nd career Test century, which takes him to equal second with Steve Waugh for most in Australian history, behind only Ricky Ponting (41).
And he was also the quickest in history to reach 32 centuries in terms of innings.
Smith and Waugh are now joint-11th in the all-time list of Test centurions, headed by Sachin Tendulkar, the only man to have scored more than a half-century of centuries.
Soon after, Smith (3174) also went to fourth on the all-time runs list in Ashes cricket, overtaking Waugh’s 3173.
He was then caught on 110 and left the field to a standing ovation.
– With AAP
LIST OF THE MOST PROLIFIC CENTURY MAKERS IN TESTS
Sachin Tendulkar (Ind, 1989-2013) 51
Jacques Kallis (SA, 1995-2013) 45
Ricky Ponting (Aus, 1995-2012) 41
Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka, 2000-2015) 38
Rahul Dravid (Ind, 1996-2012) 36
Younis Khan (Pak, 2000-2017) 34
Sunil Gavaskar (Ind, 1971-1987) 34
Brian Lara (WI, 1990-2006) 34
Mahela Jayawardene (SL, 1997-2014) 34
Alastair Cook (Eng, 2006-2018) 33
Steve Waugh (Aus, 1985-2004) 32
Steve Smith (Aus, 2010-current) 32
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