The Ashes : Twitter Lauds Steve Smith As 'Summer Of Smith' Gets Only Better With Another Ton At The MCG

There is absolutely no stopping Steve Smith. With every passing game, the Australia skipper is strengthening his stature as the best Test batsman in the world and his reputation is set to be further enhanced after he scored a sublime ton in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The right-handed batsman walked in to bat in the second innings when Australia were reeling at 65 for 2 after conceding a 164-run lead. The captain then steadied the ship with David Warner before rain brought a premature end to the fourth day. Smith’s task of steering the hosts to safety was further made tough when Warner and Shaun Marsh departed early on the final day. However, the 28-year old stood as firm as a rock, scoring his third ton of the series to take his team close to a draw.

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It was a typical workman-like inning as the century came off 259 balls including six fours. The latest knock, meanwhile, has only extended Smith’s unprecedented run-scoring form in Test cricket.

Smith, who has been sitting at the top of the ICC Test rankings for batsmen for the last two years, has been batting phenomenally in the ongoing Ashes. The right-handed batsman is leading the run-scoring charts by a good margin, having scored 426 runs in three Tests at a stunning average of 142, including a career-best 239 in the Perth Test.

Smith’s batting average of 62.32 is second only to the legendary Don Bradman regarding batsmen with at least 20 Test innings. In the latest Test rankings that was released last week, Smith took his tally to 945 points, which is the joint-second best rating in the history of the game. The Australia star is now level with England legend Len Hutton and trails Bradman’s all-time leading tally by just 16 points.

The 23rd Test century is also a remarkable turnaround for Smith who started his career as a leg-spinning all-rounder and scored his first Test century just four years ago in the Ashes Test at Oval.

Meanwhile, Twitter was quick to laud another fine knock from the Australia star. Here are some of the messages:

Smithtastic ? ? #<!---->S<!---->u<!---->m<!---->m<!---->e<!---->r<!---->O<!---->f<!---->S<!---->m<!---->i<!---->t<!---->h#<!---->A<!---->s<!---->h<!---->e<!---->s<!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

The Aussie Captain @<!---->s<!---->t<!---->e<!---->v<!---->e<!---->s<!---->m<!---->i<!---->t<!---->h<!---->4<!---->9 has now Batted for over 30 Hrs and over 200 overs himself this series …. Answers on a postcard to how the F you get him OUT please … #<!---->A<!---->s<!---->h<!---->e<!---->s … The Best Test Batsman in the World ..

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

https://twitter.com/Sahir_Dhoom/status/946977798932934656

A Steve Smith century to finish the year. It is only fitting.

— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

Match saving marathon century from skipper Steve Smith. end the year 2017 as the best captain and best batsman. what a player! played @<!---->s<!---->t<!---->e<!---->v<!---->e<!---->s<!---->m<!---->i<!---->t<!---->h<!---->4<!---->9 #<!---->A<!---->s<!---->h<!---->e<!---->s #<!---->C<!---->r<!---->i<!---->c<!---->k<!---->e<!---->t

— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

Virat Kohli ended the year with consecutive double centuries in consecutive Tests..

Steve Smith ends the year with consecutive centuries in Consecutive Tests..

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

? Test Centuries since 2013:

23 Steve Smith

18 David Warner

17 Virat Kohli

14 Kane Williamson & Younis Khan

13 Joe Root#<!---->A<!---->s<!---->h<!---->e<!---->s p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->K<!---->U<!---->g<!---->L<!---->v<!---->H<!---->U<!---->3<!---->g<!---->p

— bet365 (@bet365) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

Without Steve Smith in the side this Australian batting line up would be uninsurable.

— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

Steve Smith's run making at test cricket has questioned the purists who are sticklers for technique based batting. The evolving of cricket and batting has been epitomized by the Smith's efforts with the bat in his career.

— Roshan Abeysinghe (@RoshanCricket) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

https://twitter.com/xtremevicky/status/946980762343022593

The way Steve Smith is playing at the moment he is head and shoulders above anyone else out there! Unplayable! He is upping the game for everyone! Got to be world number one at the end the of the series!

— tonyashenden (@tonyashenden) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

January 2015
AB de Villiers: 21 Test ?
Steve Smith: 7 Test ?
December 2017
AB de Villiers: 21 Test ?
Steve Smith : 23 Test ?#<!---->A<!---->s<!---->h<!---->e<!---->s

— JSK (@imjsk27) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

The Aussie Captain @<!---->s<!---->t<!---->e<!---->v<!---->e<!---->s<!---->m<!---->i<!---->t<!---->h<!---->4<!---->9 has now Batted for over 30 Hrs and over 200 overs himself this series …. Answers on a postcard to how the F you get him OUT please … #<!---->A<!---->s<!---->h<!---->e<!---->s … The Best Test Batsman in the World ..

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

https://twitter.com/dsaseha/status/946984319150645248

Steve Smith becomes the second player after the great Sir Donald Bradman to score 100s in four successive Tests at the MCG.#<!---->A<!---->s<!---->h<!---->e<!---->s

— CricketFTS (@CricketFTS) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7