Birmingham: Australia wrestled control of the first Ashes Test on Day 4 on Saturday thanks to centuries from Steve Smith and Matthew Wade.
The century was Smith’s 25th in Test cricket as he surpassed India captain Virat Kohli to become the second fastest to get there.
Kohli took 127 innings to reach 25 centuries while Smith has taken 119 innings. Sir Donald Bradman tops the chart by a big margin, having reached 25 centuries in just 68 innings. This was Smith’s 10th Ashes century and only Bradman (19) and England great Jack Hobbs (12) have scored more.
When he goes out to bat, it’s almost like he’s in a trance-like state,” former Australia captain Waugh told Channel Nine.
This is the fifth instance of an Australian batsman registering centuries in both innings of an Ashes Test and the first since Matthew Hayden did so in 2002.
They declared on 487/7, giving England a target of 398 to chase. The hosts’ openers Rory Burns and Jason Roy managed to see out the last half hour of the day which means that Australia will have to take 10 wickets on Day 5 to record their first win at Edgbaston since July 2001.Australia ensured that they lost only one wicket each in the first two sessions.
The first was that of Travis Head which helped break a 130-run stand between him and Smith. Head had crossed his half century and he was replaced by Wade who then put a 130-run stand with Smith. Smith’s was the lone wicket to fall in the second session. This was his second century of the match, making him the fifth Australian to do so in an Ashes Test and the first since Matthew Hayden in 2002.Wade and captain Tim Paine then continued to pile the misery on England. Wade, who forced his way into the squad on the basis of his batting form in domestic cricket, managed to reach his century with a cheeky reverse sweep off Joe Root.
It was his third Test century and first since 2013.
Brief scores: Brief scores: 1st innings: Australia 284 all out (Steve Smith 144, Broad 5/86); England 374 all out (Rory Burns 133, Nathan Lyon 3/112); 2nd innings: Australia 487/7 declared (Steve Smith 144, Ben Stokes 3/85); England 13/0 (Rory Burns 7 not out, James Pattinson 0/2) (IANS)
