Anyone watching the opening exchanges of the World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa at Lord’s would have noticed a pinnacle within that pinnacle: Steve Smith.
Australia’s former captain batted on a higher plane than anyone else in the first two innings of the match when the pitch gave assistance to the pace bowlers of both sides (28 wickets fell on the first two days). As Nasser Hussain said on commentary: “Smith was batting on a different pitch to everyone else.”
Smith, who averages 56 in Tests, batted with that physics-defying concept: extra time. Whatever he do...
