"He's been the best over the last few years" - Michael Vaughan hails Steve Smith for masterful century in 2nd Ashes Test
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan was full of praise for Australian star batter Steve Smith, declaring him the best in Tests over the past few years. The 34-year-old notched up his 32nd Test century on Day 2 of the second Ashes Test at Lord's to lead Australia to a formidable score of 416 in their first essay.
During his magnificent knock, the New South Wales batter became the second fastest to 9,000 Test runs behind Kumar Sangakkara. It was also Smith's 12th Ashes century and his eighth in England.
Speaking to Cricbuzz at stumps on Day 2, Vaughan said:
"In Test match cricket, he's been the best over the last few years consistently because he's played different styles of innings. He got 100s in 2019 when the ball was moving around all over the place. We know how good a player he is against the Kookaburra in his own backyard."
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Vaughan also felt a sense of inevitability about Smith scoring big runs as soon as the first few balls hit the middle of his willow on Day 1.
"I saw it yesterday as soon as he came out, the first three balls you saw the middle of the bat. He whipped one in the onside then played a cover drive and I was like 'yeah he is getting a 100'," added Vaughan.
The former Australian captain missed out in the first Test at Edgbaston, scoring only a combined 22 runs, despite the Aussies completing a thrilling two-wicket victory.
At stumps on Day 2, England are 278/4 in 61 overs, trailing by 138 runs, with skipper Ben Stokes and the in-form Harry Brook at the crease.
"As soon as he walks out at the MCG you always think he'll get a hundred" - Michael Vaughan
Michael Vaughan also believes great players like Steve Smith have a sense for performing at their best on big occasions and at historic venues.
Smith scored his second Test century at Lord's after scoring a fabulous ton in the recent WTC final at the Oval.
"Great players, they love the attention, the environment, the occasion, the atmosphere at special venues. No more special than the one here at Lord's. As soon as he walks out at the MCG you always think he'll get a hundred. It's just that ability that great players have, they just know how to sense and play the big occasions," said Vaughan.
The former Ashes-winning skipper also expects big runs from Smith in the second innings and for the rest of the series.
"He got 2 hundreds at Edgbaston in 2019, on this kind of wicket it would not surprise me if he chalks up another hundred in the second innings and he is on the Honor's board once again because once Smith finds rhythm and form, as we saw in 2019, he is very difficult to dislodge," conculded Vaughan.
Smith averages nearly 60 in Tests at England, including an unprecedented 774 runs in four games in the 2019 Ashes that ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
He also moved to joint-eleventh all-time in Test centuries and is behind only former skipper Ricky Ponting in 100s by an Australian batter.