SA vs AUS: Steve Smith breaks WTC Final record, surpasses Ajinkya Rahane in elite list
SA vs AUS:Steve Smith became the leading run-getter in the World Test Championship (WTC) final after his second fifty-plus score in the summit clash, in as many appearances, amid all the wickets falling around him on Day 1 on Wednesday, June 11. South Africa chose to bowl first and got as many as four wickets in the opening session; however, Smith stayed put and carved out a decent first innings score, getting to his fifty off just 74 deliveries.
Smith needed 45 runs to go past Ajinkya Rahane and became the first player to aggregate 200 runs in the WTC final. Rahane, the former India vice-captain, had 199 runs to his name in the WTC final, including an 89 at the Oval against Australia, a couple of years ago. Travis Head too, was close to breaking it, being just eight runs away, but couldn’t as Marco Jansen pulled the plug on his innings on just 11.
Most runs in WTC final
201* – Steve Smith (Australia), in 3 innings
199 – Ajinkya Rahane (India), in 4 innings
192 – Travis Head (Australia), in 3 innings
122 – Rohit Sharma (India), in 4 innings
120 – Virat Kohli (India), in 4 innings
SA vs AUS:Smith also became the leading run-getter at Lord’s for a visiting batter, surpassing Warren Bardsley, who incidentally scored a monumental 164 when Australia took on South Africa, the only other time at Lord’s in Test cricket in 1912. South Africa haven’t bowled badly but Smith and Beau Webster have ridden their luck and scored runs in the second session as Australia marked their comeback in the second session.
