Australia batter reflects on his journey ahead of landmark match at Headingley
Andrew McGlashan04-Jul-2023As he prepares to play his 100th Test, Steven Smith, among the greatest batters to have played the game, has picked out the moment when he gained the belief that he would be a successful international cricketer.Smith’s story of beginning as a legspinning-allrounder against Pakistan at Lord’s in 2010 is well-told. His first Test century came three years later, against England at The Oval but, despite two more against the same opposition in the 2013-14 Ashes, it was a month after that when he had his own personal breakthrough moment.Facing an attack that included Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander at Centurion, Smith struck an even 100 batting at No. 6 having walked in at 98 for 4, which set up a convincing Australia victory.”I probably didn’t feel like I could make it until my fourth hundred, which was at Centurion against the South African line up of Morkel, Steyn, Philander and [Ryan] McLaren,” Smith said. “Particularly the first three, they were tremendous bowlers. They had great careers. And to be able to score a hundred against them gave me a lot of confidence to know I belong at this level.”That was probably the first time I felt it. From there I was pretty confident in my ability. I knew what I wanted to do and how I wanted to play. It was just playing the game and enjoying it and trying to score as many runs as I can.”Smith has now scored 32 Test hundreds, putting him level with Steve Waugh and only behind Ricky Ponting for Australia, the latest of which earned him the Player-of-the-Match award at Lord’s as Australia went 2-0 up in the Ashes. Few would bet against him marking his century with another century, something David Warner did last year with a double ton against South Africa.”Proud is the word I suppose,” Smith said of his landmark. “The longevity I have had in the game and what I have been able to achieve across those 100 [games]. I have been lucky to play with some tremendous players in the dressing room. Some great teams. I think our team right now is right up there. It’s been a hell of journey. I have enjoyed every bit of it.”His run-scoring feats have been remarkable. Since the maiden hundred in 2013 he has barely had a slump, indicated by the fact that from the moment his average hit 50 – which came against India in 2014 – he has never slipped below that mark. When challenges have presented themselves, he has found solutions, most recently demonstrated by moving to a stiller, side-on stance last year when he felt he was getting closed off, then returning to a more pronounced back-and-across trigger in the Ashes.”That’s my job isn’t it? To score runs,” he said matter-of-factly. “And something I pride myself on is being able to solve problems out in the middle and get through different scenarios of how people are trying to bowl at me and things like that. Over the years people have come at me with so many different plans, and the majority of the time I have been able to navigate myself through those.”File photo: Steven Smith, the Don of the 2019 Ashes•Getty ImagesHis average has topped out at 64.81, achieved during his prolific 2019 Ashes where he made 774 runs in four matches following his year-long ban from the game. The ban, for his part in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa, will forever be part of Smith’s career – you only need to listen to the crowds at this Ashes to know that. “Everyone can say what they like, it doesn’t bother me,” he said of still being booed. “I am comfortable in my own skin.”Smith added the only time he had not enjoyed cricket was shortly before his ban ended, in early 2019, when he underwent elbow surgery and had his arm in a brace.”I don’t know why for some reason I didn’t enjoy the game or want to play the game,” he said. “The moment I had my elbow brace off I was suddenly in love with the game again back in 2019. Outside of that I am grateful for everything the game has given me.”Headingley, the scene of his 100th Test, is where he made his first Test half-century, 77 batting at No. 8 against Pakistan in 2010, in a hint of what was to come. “[I’ve] got myself pushed up the order a little bit,” he joked. It is also the ground where he was absent four years ago following the concussion he suffered at Lord’s, which means this will be his first Ashes appearance at the venue as he becomes the 15th Australian to reach a century of Tests.”I didn’t enjoy that at all,” he recalled about 2019. “Just sitting and watching the Ben Stokes show, that almost occurred again [at Lord’s].”At 34, Smith could have a good few years ahead of him to keep churning out runs. He made some headlines earlier this year when asked during the Sydney Test against South Africa whether it could be his last home appearance, and he responded with “we’ll see”. He has since flat-batted talk of what his career timeline will look like, although this will likely be his final Ashes tour, but added that enjoyment was a key factor.”I will take it game by game. Just enjoy myself out in the middle,” he said. “And while I am enjoying myself and feel like I can improve and contribute to the team, and feel good about helping the team, then I will keep playing.”There isn’t much Smith hasn’t achieved in the game, but winning an Ashes series in England is still to be added to the accolades. Having slipped up four years ago, Australia are already just one win away this time.”I have said it for a long time, it is something that has been on my bucket list to win an Ashes series in England,” Smith said. “What a way to top it off, if I could do it in my 100th game, it would be special for sure.”
