Steve Smith: Australia batter passes 10,000 test runs

Australia Batter Steve Smith passed the 10,000-race brand in the 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 of 9,999 races, and as a Captain in the absence of Pat Cummins he chose to beat after winning the throw.

He came to the crisis after Travis Head and Marnus Labuschant had been dismissed and pushed his first delivery to the middle of a single one becoming the 15th dough to reach 10,000 test runs.

“Fortunately, it hit in the gorge so well to get it away,” Smith told Australia’s 7crick.

“Nice to cross it off,” he added.

Smith continued to score 104 not out as he helped his side reach 330-2 at the end of the game in Galle.

He is the fourth Australian who reached the 10,000 test driving 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-tamping scandal in a test match in 2018 against South Africa.

India’s Sachin Tendulkar has the record for the most test runs of 15,921, with ponting number two with 13,378.

England’s Joe Root is fifth on the list of 12,972 races after he passed the compatriot Alastair Cook, which is sixth of 12,472.