Steve Smith

SL v AUS: Steve Smith Joins 10,000-Test Run Club After Lengthy Wait

Steve Smith has officially joined the exclusive 10,000-Test run club, becoming just the fourth Australian cricketer to achieve this rare milestone. 

Steve Smith’s Near-Miss At The SCG

The 35-year-old right-hander, Steve Smith reached the landmark in the first test against Sri Lanka in Galle, after an agonising wait following his near-miss earlier this month.

Steve Smith’s Milestone Moment In Galle

Steve Smith had only been one run away from 10,000 during Australia’s game against India at the SCG, when he was dismissed for 9,999 runs. Many wondered if he would ever reach or cross that exact threshold. On Thursday in Galle, however, Smith’s wait finally ended in spectacular style as, with the first ball he faced, he made his 10,000th. He had walked to the crease with Australia at 2-137 in the opening session and immediately went on the attack, striking a single to mid-on off Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya. The crowd erupted in applause as Smith raised his bat, sharing a brief embrace with his batting partner Usman Khawaja.

Steve Smith Celebrates The Achievement

The moment was bittersweet for Steve Smith, who looked sheepish as he acknowledged the crowd, however, the achievement was monumental. He is now part of an elite group that includes Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting, all of whom have surpassed the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket. Notably, all three were present at the SCG for the match where Steve Smith’s wait began.

Galle’s Quiet Celebration

Galle, though, was an altogether low-key affair and only a small number of Aussie supporters were out to cheer on Smith at this small seaside venue. Nonetheless, the achievement it still carries does great importance for the cricket world. He now joins some of the game’s greatest players, with only Brian Lara reaching the milestone in fewer Tests than Smith’s 115. Alongside Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, and Ricky Ponting, Smith is one of only a few to have achieved such a feat in under 200 innings. Among active players, only England’s Joe Root, with 12,972 Test runs, has a higher tally than Steve Smith.

A Year Of Near Misses And Achievements For Steve Smith

Steve Smith had come into the Australian summer 315 runs shy of the milestone and had been inching his way back with centuries in successive tests against England in Brisbane and Melbourne. When he walked into Sydney for the New Year’s Test, he needed only 38 runs; yet he was caught for 33 early on the second day of the match. The next two departures in the 9,990s brought him into the Sri Lanka series to finally gain the mark he had long pursued.

The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye

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