Resurgent Smith runs hot to be named player of series

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Resurgent Smith runs hot to be named player of series

Steve Smith has been named player of the series for his role in steering Australia to a 2-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in Galle.

The stand-in captain beat out the series’ leading wicket-taker Matt Kuhnemann (16) to claim the honour after Australia clinched a nine-wicket win in the second Test on the morning of day four.

Smith underlined his status as Australia’s master of the subcontinent, scoring two centuries from as many innings on the tour.

He made 272 runs at an average of 136 to finish as the second-top run-scorer in the series.

The 35-year-old would have sat atop the standings if veteran opener Usman Khawaja (295) had not had a second chance to bat in the match-sealing run chase on Sunday.

Smith blasted 141 runs in his first knock as Australia made the most of winning the toss in the first Test, slapping their way to victory by an innings and 242 runs.

But his second ton (131) was arguably more important in the second match as Australia sought to close out a series whitewash.

Smith came to the crease when Australia were in trouble at 2-37 on day two, having lost both Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne cheaply.

He stabilised the tourists’ reply to Sri Lanka’s 257 and forged a 259-run partnership with Alex Carey (156) that ultimately proved decisive in the closer second match.

It’s been quite the turnaround for Smith, who was lukewarm in his stint as an opener to finish the 2023-24 summer, and managed only 19 runs across his first three innings in the recent home series against India.

But Smith has now scored centuries in four of his past five Tests, and watched as records tumbled during the Sri Lanka series.

On day one of the first Test, he reached the coveted 10,000-run milestone after memorably finishing the home summer one run short.

Only Allan Border, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh have also made five figures with the bat among *********** Test players.

Smith also became Australia’s leading run-scorer in Asia (1994) and the first non-wicketkeeping *********** to reach 200 catches during the second Test.

Additionally, the right-hander has scored more centuries (seven) in Asia than any of his countrymen.

Smith’s tactical nous was also on show in his first full series as captain since the 2018 Newlands ball-tampering saga. Regular skipper Pat Cummins missed the series with an ankle injury and to attend the birth of his child.

Kuhnemann memorably called Smith a “genius” during the first Test for his ability to set perfect fields in the spinning conditions, a skill that stood out all the more for the struggles of Sri Lankan counterpart Dhananjaya de Silva.

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