Cricket began as a gentleman’s sport, meant to propagate and principles of loyalty, properness, and respect amongst others. No wonder then that some time honored traditions continue to pervade our game but times-are-a-changin’, as Steve Smith showed at Galle on Friday to Alex Carey’s dismay.
Sri Lanka fought themselves into the contest on the morning session of Day 2 in the second Warne-Muralitharan Trophy 2025 Test between Australia and Sri Lanka by scalping three wickets for 91 after managing a subpar 257 with the bat. However, that was where their performance as Steve Smith and Alex Carey, promoted to fill in for Josh Inglis who is dealing with a back niggle, scored centuries each to take the visitors into the lead while still having seven wickets at hand. The partnership had soared past 200 by the time half an hour’s play was remaining on the day as the du looked at home batting with each other, albeit there was one moment the two shared that seemed to perplex everyone watching.
Smith was on strike for the 50th over of the innings against Prabath Jayasuriya with Tea scheduled right after. The veteran smacked the first ball of the over for four but was content laying out the remaining deliveries without much ado. On the last ball, the 35-year-old drove the ball into the covers where there was enough protection to keep the scoreboard from ticking. The batter wouln’t know though if somehow it pierced the gap for Smith barely waited a moment after playing his shot before sharply turning around and rushing back to the pavilion, leaving Carey in his wake. It has been an age-old tradition in cricket for the teams to walk off together after a session, which left even Carey perplexed, until Smith beckoned when he had almost reached the boundary for the wicket-keeper batter to follow suit.
Twitterati was quick to add the incident to the long list of Smith antics that make him one of the most fascinating personalities to have graced the sport.
Attitude
His 4th
It’s Steve Smith Test century number 36!
His fourth in the last five Tests too 🔥#SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/vxfS1ShMFK— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 7, 2025
It’s getting ridiculous for Steve Smith, 12 matches he went without a 100. Stranded on 32 test hundreds 10,000 runs was looking way off. He now has 4 hundreds in 5 test matches. 32 hundreds to 36 test hundreds inside 50 days. IT’S JUST STUPID!! INCREDIBLE STUFF! #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/OcW8cJbj4i
— Coach lukas (@lukeR15sky) February 7, 2025
Wow
#36
Test century #36 for the 🐐 #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/FRTatYMlMs
— Steve Smith (@steve__smith__) February 7, 2025
4th test 100 for Steven Smith in his last 5 test matches, just bradmanistic Smith is back baby❤️❤️
GOAT of test has scored his 36th 100 and equaled Joe Root’s record of most 100 in test among active batters.
If Smith can peak again then why not Virat??pic.twitter.com/EYqq8m5IkW— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) February 7, 2025
The goat
– 36th Test Hundreds.
– 17th Test Hundreds as Captain.
– Most Test Hundreds in Asia for 🇭🇲.
– 4 Hundreds in Last 5 Tests.
– Hundred in both Tests in this series.
STEVEN PETER DEVEREUX SMITH – THE GOAT OF THIS ERA. 🐐🙇pic.twitter.com/vbKSQJQK17— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) February 7, 2025
Eagle eye
The smallest of gaps between the two covers…
Doesn’t matter for Steve Smith #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/CFqcQkItxO— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) February 7, 2025
Steve Smith’s peak was so high that even after scoring four hundreds in five Tests you’re still wondering if he’s close to being back to his best.
— Yas Rana (@Yas_Wisden) February 7, 2025
Duck
If Smith was duck in this inning
And in next inning
Duck out in both inning of WTC Final
Duck out in 6 inning against WI
Duck out in 10 inning in Ashes 2025
Then he’ll have same average as Joe Root
Means smith need 20 consecutive duck
Greatness of smith is something else 🥶🐐 pic.twitter.com/3Zi5CH7kRu— Haydos🛡️ (@diablo_kells) February 7, 2025
