Australian vice-captain Steve Smith has surpassed Joe Root to become the leading catcher in Test cricket history. Smith reached the milestone with a stunning catch to dismiss South Africa batter David Bedingham on the third morning of the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban on Sunday, October 11.
Smith had earlier caught South African captain Temba Bavuma off Nathan Lyon before taking a spectacular diving catch off Pat Cummins to dismiss Bedingham for 49. The two wickets helped Australia put pressure on the hosts after Matt Renshaw’s marathon first-innings knock lifted the visitors to 390 all out.
Steve Smith Takes Two Stunning Catches in South Africa’s First Innings
South Africa had made a positive start to their reply, adding 59 runs to their overnight score before the drinks break. Mitchell Starc then dismissed Aiden Markram for 37, with Renshaw taking the catch at first slip.
Steve Smith then took two outstanding catches. Bavuma was dismissed for three off 27 balls. The Proteas captain attempted a reverse sweep against Lyon, but Smith anticipated the shot, moved across at slip and completed an excellent reaction catch to give the spinner his first wicket.
Smith produced an even more spectacular effort to remove Bedingham. The batter had scored 49 when he edged Cummins’ delivery. Smith dived in front of Renshaw at first slip and completed the catch. Australia took three wickets for 15 runs during that spell, reducing South Africa to 99/4.
Steve Smith Surpasses Joe Root for Most Catches in Test Cricket History
Steve Smith’s record-breaking achievement places him ahead of some of the finest fielders in Test cricket. He reached 221 catches in 240 innings across 126 matches.
Player | Matches | Innings | Catches | Max in an innings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Smith (Australia) | 126* | 240 | 221 | 5 |
Joe Root (England) | 169 | 323 | 220 | 4 |
Rahul Dravid (India) | 164 | 301 | 210 | 3 |
Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) | 149 | 270 | 205 | 4 |
Jacques Kallis (South Africa) | 166 | 315 | 200 | 4 |
Ricky Ponting (Australia) | 168 | 328 | 196 | 3 |
Matt Renshaw’s 190 Puts Australia in Command
Matt Renshaw scored a career-best 190 to give Australia a competitive first-innings total. Resuming Day 2 unbeaten on 46 with the visitors at 187/6, the left-hander batted for long periods and helped Australia recover from a difficult position before they were bowled out for 390 after 72 overs.
Renshaw reached his century off 204 balls and continued to frustrate South Africa alongside the lower order. He shared a 134-run partnership with Nathan Lyon for the ninth wicket. Lyon scored 27 before Marco Jansen dismissed him, but Renshaw continued batting with the tail.
Renshaw scored 174 runs while batting with the lower order, the most by a Test batter in this period. His knock also became the highest individual score by a batter at No. 5 or lower in a Test at Kingsmead. He faced 397 deliveries before edging Simon Harmer to slip, falling 10 runs short of a double century.
Australia then made an early breakthrough in South Africa’s innings when Josh Hazlewood dismissed Ryan Rickelton for a duck, with Beau Webster taking the catch in the slips. Bad light interrupted play for the second successive day.
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