‘Ultimate GOAT in red ball cricket’ – Twitter heap praise for Steve Smith as he smashes double hundred against West Indies
Steve Smith (Image Credit: Twitter)
Former Australia skipper Steve Smith has scored his fourth double-hundred in the ongoing first Test against the West Indies. Notably, he hit his first double-century after the Ashes 2019. In that series, he scored 211 runs against England in the fourth game of the series. Not to forget, this is his first double ton in Tests against the Caribbeans. The first three double tons came against his Ashes rivals.
The right-hander hit his first double-hundred in 2015 at none other than Lord’s Cricket Ground. His second double-ton came in the Ashes 2017 -18 in the third Test match in Perth. Two years later, Smith scored his third double-hundred. Since then, he didn’t hit any double-hundred even though he hit a few centuries. Meanwhile, in the ongoing game against the Windies, he ended the drought.
The Sydney player wasn’t the only player to hit a double-ton in this game. Before him, Marnus Labuschagne hit a double ton. Both players helped the team to amass 598/4 declared.
This is the fifth instance of two players from the same team hitting a double-ton
Notably, Australia made another record in the ongoing game against the Windies. With Smith and Labuschagne hitting double tons, this was the fifth instance when such a thing happened in the game. It first happened in the 1934 Ashes. In that game, Sir Donald Bradman and Bill Ponsford scored double tons and took the team to 705 all-out. The team won the game by 562 runs.
12 years later, Bradman did it once again but this time, his partner in crime was Sid Barnes. The Kangaroos won the game by innings and 33 runs. In 1965, Australia openers, Bill Lawry and Bob Simpson tormented the Windies with double hundred each. In 2012, India suffered the same in what was Rahul Dravid’s last match. In this game, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke scored double hundred each.
This is how Twitter reacted
Watching Marnus labuschagne and Steve Smith bat has been like watching the finest machinery at work. They both average over 200 against the West Indies. #CLASS.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) December 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/Phanishwarrr/status/1598219539174813697?s=20&t=FlSlr7ZX6aWEZKiqp91jdg
4th double hundred for Steve Smith, the greatest Test batsman in the Modern Era.
The genius is well & truly back in business. pic.twitter.com/Nzpd3lxrU7
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 1, 2022
What about this Steve Smith bloke. Averages 60 across more than 80 Tests, becomes the fastest to 8k runs, then decides none of that is good enough. At 33, he remodels his technique, then makes 145* in Galle and now 100* in Perth in his first few attempts. Extraordinary #AUSvWI
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) December 1, 2022
Steve Smith in Test Cricket:
•Matches – 88
•Innings – 155
•Runs – 8361
•Average – 61.48
•100s – 29
•200s – 4
•Highest score – 239The greatest of this Era! pic.twitter.com/gjRQ5ceFVS
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) December 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/SaiKingkohli/status/1598221450078728192?s=20&t=jldGZlnay7iWIfYgF16Crg
The Modern Don. #stevesmith pic.twitter.com/pS8km9EAeU
— . (@Sourabh_49) November 26, 2022
Most Double Hundred by Fab Four in Test cricket :
Virat Kohli – 7
Joe Root – 5
Steve Smith – 4
Kane Williamson – 4 pic.twitter.com/J5Rko61KcG— Akshat (@AkshatOM10) December 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/RVCJ_FB/status/1598224274099425280?s=20&t=jldGZlnay7iWIfYgF16Crg
*Fewest innings to score 29 Test tons*
Don Bradman: 79 innings
Sachin Tendulkar: 148
STEVE SMITH: 155
Matthew Hayden: 166
Sunil Gavaskar: 166
Ricky Ponting: 169
Younis Khan: 174
Brian Lara: 203
Steve Waugh: 244#AUSvWI— Dave Middleton (@Dave_Middleton) December 1, 2022
https://twitter.com/Guptastats92/status/1598164293903867904?s=20&t=jldGZlnay7iWIfYgF16Crg
