Smith steadies Australia and Head puts India to sword on day of two centuries

Third Test, day two: Australia 405-7 v India at the Gabba
Smith fights through tough spell to show he still belongs

Steve Smith, Gabba, century. Not a surprising combination of words, for a player with a 10th of his career runs at the venue, one decent innings away from taking that number past 1,000. More surprising given the way that contemporary Smith has been grinding away for a long while without notable success, an engine revving that won’t turn over.

His hundred on day two of the third Test against India on Sunday was his fourth in Brisbane, and could not have been more different to the other three. India in 2014 and Pakistan in 2016 were breezy, boundaries flying, Smith in purple pomp. England in 2017 was a masterpiece of concentration, 326 balls faced, striking at barely 40, batting eight and a half hours to hold together an innings that was slipping away. Never had he worked harder, yet even at its toughest, it still never seemed that he would actually get out. He was so good that success seemed preordained.

Topics

Smith and Head centuries give Australia control over India

Steve Smith and Travis Head share a stand of 241 to give Australia control of the third Test against India in Brisbane.
BBC News - 8h
Australia v India: third men’s cricket Test, day two – as it happened

Australia take control on day two in Brisbane Centuries to Travis Head and Steve Smith Five wickets to Jasprit Bumrah Khawaja goes! Beautiful bowling by Bumrah who banged it in at 137kph on a ...
The Guardian - 9h
Australia v India: third men’s cricket Test, day one – as it happened

The hosts reached 28-0 in 13.2 overs after being sent in to bat on the first day of the third Test at the Gabba. 1st over: Australia 4-0 (Khawaja 0, McSweeney 0) Bumrah has Khawaja all cramped up ...
The Guardian - 1d
Mohammed Siraj accuses Australia’s Head of abuse and lying after India loss

Words exchanged following wicket in second Test Bowler claims Head lied in press conference Travis Head says he won’t allow accusations of lying from India firebrand Mohammed Siraj ruin ...
The Guardian - Dec. 8
Travis Head brings the South Australia feelgood factor to make India suffer

Second Test, day two: India 180 & 5-128; Australia 337 Head and Carey put hosts in control before bowlers strike A lengthening afternoon, an Adelaide Test, and two South Australians batting ...
The Guardian - Dec. 7
Australia v India: second men’s cricket Test, day two – as it happened

Head century powers Australia into dominant position India 128-5 in their second innings, still trailing by 29 runs 35th over: Australia 90-1 (McSweeney 39, Labuschagne 23) Jasprit Bumrah ...
The Guardian - Dec. 7
Australia v India: second men’s Test, day one – as it happened

Mitchell Starc took career-best figures of 6 for 48 as Australia rolled India for 180 on the first day in Adelaide. We’re underway…. The anthems, then the commencement bell is rung by Tim May. A ...
The Guardian - Dec. 6
Australia beat India by five wickets: first women’s one-day international – live reaction

Debutant Georgia Voll steers Australia to victory after Megan Schutt tears through India with her first ODI five-wicket haul. Australia has first blood! That wide ball from Schutt has indeed caught ...
The Guardian - Dec. 5
Australia head into Adelaide Test against India at risk of blowing world title | Martin Pegan

The reigning champions have tumbled from first to third place in the World Test Championship standings and there remains little margin for error . Australia have only just begun the first of ...
The Guardian - Dec. 4