Steve Smith scores remarkable century at Allan Border Oval
Sutherland District Cricket Club | January 17, 2025
Steve Smith fielding as a substitute in the 1st Test vs New Zealand at the Basin Reserve, Wellington in March 2010.
Steve Smith’s heroics with the bat for Sydney Sixers in the BBL over the last week reminded me that yesterday was 15 years ago to the day that he scored a remarkable century for Sutherland against Mosman in a 50-overs match at Allan Border Oval. He scored 134 not out off 67 balls, with 15 fours and 9 sixes.
Mosman won the toss and batted. They were 2/23 in the 9th over, before a partnership of 161 between Nick Death (84) and Michael Bryant (71) took them to 2/184 after 40 overs. The situation changed dramatically in the 41st over, bowled by Andre Adams. Bryant was run out off the first ball, Death was run out off the second ball and Schalk van der Merwe was run out for a duck off the last ball of the over – the score at the end of the over was 5/185. The rest of the order provided little resistance and Mosman was all out for 200 off 45.3 overs. In addition to three run outs occurring in his 9th over, Adams took two wickets in his last over to finish with 3-32 off his 10 overs. Steve Smith also took 2-45 off 9.3 overs as the last 8 wickets fell for 16 runs in the space of 33 balls.
In reply, Phil Jaques was caught off a skied hook shot off the last ball of the second over – score 1/9. Steve Smith joined captain Matthew Hughston at the crease and proceeded to put on a limited overs master class. He reached 52 off 28 balls (7 fours & 3 sixes) and 104 off 57 balls (13 fours & 6 sixes), before finishing on 134 not out. At the other end, Hughston made 58 not out off 54 balls (7 fours). Their partnership was 197 off 147 balls, in 82 minutes. Smith hit his boundaries all round the ground. The most remarkable was a six off a free hit after a no-ball (which he hit for four through backward square leg). The bowler was bowling left arm orthodox and Smithy faced up left-handed (after plenty of encouragement from his teammates). The bowler darted the ball at his feet and Smithy moved inside it and flicked it over backward square (for a left-hander) beside the ABO scoreboard!
Linear scoresheet for Sutherland innings:
Under the competition rules for that season, two bonus points were scored for reaching the target score within 25 overs – helping Sutherland on the way to finishing minor premiers in the Limited Overs competition and gaining home ground advantage throughout the finals series. As a result, Sutherland ended up winning the competition in the final at Glenn McGrath Oval.
