What is Steve Smith's track-record at Lord's?
Steve Smith is one of the greatest batters to have graced Test cricket. Having scored 8,969 runs in 98 Tests, including 31 centuries, at an average of 59.4, it comes as no surprise that Smith is often compared to his legendary compatriot, Don Bradman.
As such, Smith has an enviable record at the iconic home of cricket, Lord's. The 34-year-old has played four Tests at the venue, batting in a total of seven innings. He has accumulated 381 runs at an average of 54.43 and has two fifties and one century at Lord's. Not that it matters a lot, but he also has a healthy strike-rate of 62.77 at the venue.
It was at this very venue that Smith made his Test debut in 2010 against Pakistan as a leg-spinner. He scored only 13 runs in the match but picked up three wickets in the second innings as Australia thumped Pakistan by 150 runs.
The second time he played at the ground was during second Test of the 2013 Ashes series, a match in which he could only manage to score three runs.
The iconic stadium saw the best of Smith in 2015, when he smashed 215 against the hosts during the Ashes. He added another 58 runs off just 48 deliveries in the second innings as the Aussies trounced England by a massive margin of 405 runs.
The last time he played at Lord's was in 2019, and he once again rose to the occasion, scoring 92 in the first innings. He couldn't bat in the second innings, as he was substituted due to concussion.
Smith will look to extend his dominance at Lord's in the upcoming second Ashes 2023 Test and help Australia take a 2-0 lead in the series. A failure in the previous game, a high-profile series, a good batting track and a brilliant record - Lord's could be in for a Steve Smith special this week.
What happened in the first Ashes 2023 Test?
Australia started their Ashes 2023 campaign in terrific style as they managed to win a Test that seemed out of their hands at one point. The match was closely-contested but England were in control following Alex Carey's dismissal on the final day as Australia needed another 54 runs to win with just two wickets in hand.
However, captain Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon stitched a 55-run stand to pull off a famous win that will go down as one of the best in Ashes history.
The partnership helped Australia chase down a total of 281 and take a 1-0 lead in what is going to be a challenging series. While England will be desperate to level the series, the Aussies will look to carry the momentum to Lord's, where the second Test will be played from June 28.
#Australia head coach Andrew McDonald sees the lack of dependence on #SteveSmith & #MarnusLabuschagne for victory as a positive sign for the team 💪
#CricketTwitter #Ashes23 #ENGvAUS https://t.co/RcOD8OrYEG
What made the win more satisfying for Australia was the fact that it came without big contributions from Steve Smith. Undoubtedly the best Test batter of this era, Smith had a quiet game, scoring only 19 runs across the two innings.
However, Australia will hope for a better return from their stalwart come the second Test, and, if records are anything to go by, Steve Smith will be delighted on his return to Lord's.