Smith confident as Australia seize control against South Africa
Australia had South Africa reeling at 43-4 at the close on Wednesday after being put in to bat first and scoring 212.
Smith marked his first outing since March with 66 runs and felt Australia were in the driving seat after the opening day. Yet they were now looking to capitalise on their advantage.
'I think the bounce is going to be variable throughout the game, as we've seen already on day one, so hopefully we can get a few early wickets in the morning and sort of go through them and have a bit of a lead. That's the ideal scenario for us right now."
Australia are 169 runs ahead after a day in which 14 wickets fell.
'I think we're in a good spot. We've probably had a few missed opportunities with the bat to try and get a bigger total, but I think the wicket offered something all day.
'We could have had a better day, but we're still in a nice position,' he said after stumps on Wednesday.
Smith, a prolific run scorer at Lord's, was returning after a lengthy holiday in which he said he hardly picked up a bat.
'I felt good, felt in a nice place. I love batting here at Lord's and enjoyed my time while I was out there but left a few in the shed, unfortunately.
'It felt quite tricky, the wicket felt like it was doing enough all day... probably a little bit on the slower side, and then one kind of zings through.'
Smith was irritated to have been dismissed by part-time spinner Aiden Markram, trying to slog him to the boundary but getting a healthy edge to slip.
'I'm still trying to fathom how I've done that,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
4 hours ago
- CNA
Singapore's Shannon Tan makes cut at third straight Major
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Shannon Tan made the cut at the AIG Women's Open on Friday (Aug 1), as she finished joint-35th after a second-round 72. Tan carded an opening round 73 at Royal Porthcawl in Wales, taking her two-day total to one-over 145 - safely inside the +3 cut line by two strokes. Japan's Miyu Yamashita leads at 11-under, with compatriot Rio Takeda three strokes behind. This marks Tan's third straight Major weekend appearance, following her performance at the Evian Championship last month, where she finished 59th overall. At the 2024 British Open, Tan made history by being the first local female golfer to make the cut at a Major. Tan has been in good form this year. A month prior to her achievement in France, Tan won her second Ladies European Title with a one-shot victory at the 2025 Amundi German Masters. Her first win was on her Ladies European Tour debut at the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open. Tan, who is Singapore's top female golfer, turned professional last year.
CNA
5 hours ago
- CNA
Spurs captain Son says he is leaving the club
Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min will bring his 10-year spell with the Premier League club to an end this summer, the 33-year-old South Korean said on Saturday. Son, who is under contract until 2026, led Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years with their win over Manchester United in the Europa League final in May, having joined the North London club from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015. While Son did not disclose his next destination, British media have linked him with a move to Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC. "I have decided to leave the team this summer," Son said at a press conference ahead of Spurs' pre-season friendly against Newcastle United in Seoul on Sunday. "I think it was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever made in my football career. Playing football and being with one team for 10 years is something I am very proud of, but I think I gave my all to the team every single day. "I did my best on the field and off the field, and by winning the Europa League, I thought I'd done everything I could and achieved. That was probably the biggest reason (why I decided to leave the team)." Son has made 454 appearances for Spurs and scored 173 goals. He won the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2021-22 season. "I was so grateful that the team helped me a lot with this decision and respected my choice," he added. "It was my favourite place for 10 years, and it was the place where I grew a lot as a football player and a person, so I have a very grateful heart."
CNA
13 hours ago
- CNA
India hit back against Bazballing England on another remarkable day
LONDON :India roared back into contention on an exhilarating day two of the final test on Friday as their seamers restricted England to a 23-run lead after the hosts had threatened to run away with a match that the tourists need to win to square the series. After mopping up India's brittle tail in less than 30 minutes in the morning, openers Zac Crawley and Ben Duckett raced to 92-0 in 12 overs in a blistering return of Bazball. However, continuing the back and forth theme of the entire series, India responded as their bowlers ran in relentlessly to peg England back to 247. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal then scored quickly in a potentially awkward last 90 minutes, ending unbeaten on 51 with India closing on 75-2, 52 runs ahead to leave the pivotal match fascinatingly poised. Another fabulously undulating day began with India resuming at 204-6 but soon skittled for 224 as pace bowler Gus Atkinson took five wickets in his first test since May. It was an all-too-familiar collapse by the tourists this summer as Karun Nair fell lbw for 57 and Washington Sundar was caught for 26. Atkinson then bowled Mohammed Siraj and had Prasidh Krishna caught behind, both for ducks, to finish with 5-33. England set about their reply in their usual, swashbuckling fashion, exemplified by Duckett's extraordinary "reverse hook" for six off Akash Deep. They reached 50 in seven overs - the fastest 50 opening partnership England have ever managed in a test - but fell just short of the 100 as Duckett was caught behind reversing for 43. They were 109-1 at lunch and England looked poised to take command but India, as they have all summer, refused to buckle as Crawley (64) and Ollie Pope (22) quickly departed. Joe Root brought his usual calm to proceedings until Siraj nipped one back at him for an lbw on 29, with Jacob Bethell going the same way soon after. Krishna finished off the session in style by having Jamie Smith brilliantly caught in the slips for eight by KL Rahul then getting Jamie Overton lbw for nought and followed up with the wicket of Atkinson to finish with 4-62. Harry Brook had a late flurry either side of a rain delay before becoming Siraj's fourth victim when bowled for 53 as England, with injured Chris Woakes absent, were all out for 247. India's openers quickly erased that and pushed on well beyond, with Jaiswal looking particularly enterprising en route to a quickfire 51 - though he was badly dropped in the deep on 40. Rahul departed tamely for seven off Josh Tongue, and Sai Sudharsan followed, lbw to Atkinson for 11, leaving Deep not out four.
