Australia skipper Steven Smith feels visitors were clueless against lower-order batsmen
Steven Smith acknowledges the crowd after getting out on 192 in Melbourne on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images.
Melbourne: Skipper Steven Smith on Saturday said that India were clueless against Australia’s lower-order batsmen who helped the hosts post 530 runs in their first innings on Day Two of the third Test.
Steven Smith acknowledges the crowd after getting out on 192 in Melbourne on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images.
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“It felt pretty good at the crease and things are working well for me. It is nice and I think the most pleasing thing about it is that we got 530 runs on the board. I think that’s a very good first innings total for us,” said Smith after scoring a career-best 192.
The hosts started their day at 259-5 and Smith was involved in a 110-run stand for the 6th wicket with Haddin (55) and then a 106-run partnership with Ryan Harris (77). He also added 48 runs for the ninth wicket with Nathan Lyon as the hapless Indian bowling looked on.
“Our guys have done terrific to be honest. They have come out and taken the bowlers on. Mitchell Johnson today looked good again and Ryan Harris came out and batted beautifully. I don’t think India had an answer for us. I’m glad that our tail can come out and do that and be really aggressive against the opposition,” he said.
“Brad batted really well. He bats best when he comes out and takes on the opposition. He did that today and he was positive from the start,” he added praising the out-of-form keeper-batsman.
It was a third successive Test hundred for the young skipper, a second consecutive Test hundred in his second game in-charge and his seventh overall in a career spanning 25 matches, wherein he also crossed 2000 runs overall. He missed out on his maiden double-hundred but Smith didn’t admit to any regrets.
“I was just trying to get as many runs as I could for the team towards the end so no regrets. I was going to declare at tea so I wanted to score as much as possible. I think 530 is a good score on the board,” he said.
6: The number of times India have conceded 500-plus this year — thrice against Australia, twice against New Zealand and once vs England
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