Steve Smith wowed with a spectacular century in the second Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka. As Australia started the second innings to bat, he scored 131 runs, giving the hosts a commanding 157-run lead. Despite batting for nearly a whole day, Smith’s impact did not stop there as the hitters displayed his athleticism while fielding in the slips.
Dhananjaya de Silva was hoping to brace for a lengthy stand with Kusal Mendis when Matthew Kuhnemann bowled to him. Kuhnemann produced a fuller delivery around off stump on the sixth ball of the 40th over. In an attempt to defend the ball, Dhananjaya failed to play it with a gentle hand, allowing the ball to gain a good edge. Quickly diving to his right, Smith, who was positioned at first slip, grabbed a stunner.
But the umpires appeared doubtful as the players surrounded the veteran following a superb catch. The results showed that Smith had plucked the ball clearly when they went upstairs to inspect the catch. As the hosts’ prospects of salvaging the nearly lost series continued to wane, the captain of Sri Lanka was forced to leave with just 23 runs. Smith’s catch put him ahead of former Australian captain Ricky Ponting (196) in terms of the most catches made by a non-wicketkeeper for Australia in the longest format.
Here’s the video of Steve Smith’s catch:
Another day, another screamer from Steve Smith
pic.twitter.com/8Z1aPxUzrk
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 8, 2025
Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Matthews made the lone significant contribution from the top order. He scored 76 runs while being resolute in his approach before Nathan Lyon’s goal sent him back to the locker room. The other noteworthy batting display occurred at the end of Kusal Mendis’s innings, as Sri Lanka is now on 211/8 with a 54-run advantage and he is still undefeated at 48.
India
