Steve Smith reaches 10000 Test runs and scores his 35th Test century

Sutherland District Cricket Club | January 30, 2025

After a wait of 24 days, Steve Smith scored the much-anticipated run that he needed to go from 9999 Test runs to 10000 Test runs off the first ball he faced yesterday. It’s not often that a batter raises his bat after scoring one run!

SS became the 4th Australian and 15th player overall to reach 10000 Test runs. He did it in his 115th Test, behind only Brian Lara (111 Tests) and equal with Kumar Sangakkara (115 Tests). He was the fifth fastest in terms of innings taken to reach the milestone in his 205th innings, behind Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara & Sachin Tendulkar (all 195 innings) and Ricky Ponting (196 innings).

His average when he reached 10000 runs was 55.87, third behind only Ricky Ponting on 58.72 and Sachin Tendulkar on 57.61.

When he reached 16 runs, he became the 4th Australian batter to score 5000 runs in overseas Tests. He now has 5000 runs in home Tests and 5000 runs in away Tests, but is the only Australian to average 50-plus both at home and away – 5015 runs at 59.70 at home and 5088 runs at 53.56 away. The other Australians with 5000 runs at home and away are obviously the other three in the 10000 runs club:

             Ricky Ponting – 7578 runs at 56.97 at home & 5800 runs at 46.40 away

             Allan Border – 5743 runs at 45.94 at home & 5431 runs at 56.57 away

             Steve Waugh – 5710 runs at 47.58 at home & 5217 runs at 55.50 away

 

SS is the 6th player from all countries who has averaged 50-plus both at home and away, after Kumar Sangakkara (60.44 & 54.08), Jacques Kallis (56.73 & 53.91), Sachin Tendulkar (52.67 & 54.75), Rahul Dravid (51.36 & 53.03) and Sunil Gavaskar (50.17 & 52.11).

This Test is the 78th consecutive Test where SS’s batting average is 55-plus, the most by any player. The next best was 74 consecutive Tests by Garry Sobers up to his retirement.

Between the two Sydney Tests in 2014 and 2020, SS accumulated 6257 runs in 100 innings, the highest aggregate for any batter over such a span. He scored 24 centuries during this period, tying with Ponting and Sangakkara for the most centuries in their best streak of 100 Test innings. SS averaged 71.92 over those 100 innings, behind only Ponting’s average of 72.42 over his best 100 innings streak (6228 runs).

SS’s 104 not out is his 35th Test century, 6th all-time behind Sachin Tendulkar (51), Ricky Ponting (41), Kumar Sangakkara (38), Rahul Dravid (36) & Joe Root (36). He is the 3rd-fastest to the milestone in his 205th innings, behind Tendulkar (192 innings) & Ponting (193 innings).

SS’s percentage of centuries to innings played is 17.07%, third behind Don Bradman (29 in 80 inns = 36.25%) and Kane Williamson (33 in 186 inns = 17.74%) for players with at least 20 centuries.

It is SS’s 25th century in innings #1 of Tests, in 68 innings (36.76%). The next best is Ricky Ponting, with 21 centuries in 92 innings (22.83%).

This is SS’s 39th Test as captain. His batting average in innings #1 of these Tests is now 92.37 in 20 innings. This is second to Don Bradman with 120.77 in 10 innings for players with at least 10 innings. SS’s average as captain in his team’s first innings (i.e. innings #1 or #2) is now 88.09, the best of all captains with at least 20 innings. The next best is Bradman with 78.81 in 23 innings.

This was SS’s 3rd Test century in Sri Lanka (in 6 Tests), the first Australian to score 3 centuries in Sri Lanka. The only opposition player to have scored more centuries in Sri Lanka is Sachin Tendulkar, with 5 centuries in 12 Tests.

SS’s batting average on day 1 of Tests is now 89.59.