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AUSTRALIA batter Steve Smith passed the 10 000-run mark in Test cricket as he scored a century on the first day of his side’s opening match in Sri Lanka.
The 35-year-old went into the first Test of the two-match series on 9 999 runs and, as captain in the absence of Pat Cummins, chose to bat after winning the toss.
He came to the crease after Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had been dismissed and nudged his first delivery to mid-on for a single to become the 15th batter to reach 10 000 Test runs.
“Fortunately hit that one in the gap so nice to get that one away,” Smith told Australia’s 7Cricket. “Nice to tick that off,” he added. Smith went on to score 104 not out as he helped his side reach 330-2 at the close of play in Galle yesterday.
He is the fourth Australian to reach the 10 000 Test run landmark after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
Smith missed a year from the game when he was banned for 12 months after being part of the sandpaper ball-tampering scandal in a 2018 Test match against South Africa. India’s Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most Test runs on 15 921, with Ponting second with 13 378.
England’s Joe Root is fifth on the list with 12,972 runs after he passed compatriot Alastair Cook, who is sixth on 12 472. — BBC.
Online Reporter