3 minute read
Steve Smith has scored a ton and combined with fellow centurion Moises Henriques to put NSW in control of their Sheffield Shield match with Tasmania in Sydney.
A gritty Steve Smith century has helped put NSW in control of their Sheffield Shield cricket clash with Tasmania in Sydney.
Smith scored an unbeaten 102 and added 186 for the third wicket with fellow centurion Moises Henriques, as NSW finished day two at Drummoyne Oval on 2-275, a lead of seven.
It was Smith's first century for the Blues in almost two years, though he did score a ton in his last Shield game in Sydney prior to his ball-tampering ban.
Blues paceman Mitchell Starc boosted his chances of a Test recall, taking 3-4 early on Saturday to finish with 5-40 off 24.3 overs as Tasmania were dismissed for 268, after starting the day at 6-258.
A circumspect Smith advanced from 25 to 45 in the middle session when NSW added just 51 runs on a slow wicket.
Smith, who struck 11 boundaries, took 156 balls for his first 50 but just another 79 to bring up three figures.
"Steve has got such great concentration he just grinds and grinds and ends up making everyone else's job in the team a lot easier," said Henriques, who resumes on 116.
"He does a lot of the wearing down of the bowlers for you."
Henriques, produced the most fluent batting of the match - striking 12 fours and four sixes to generate some much-needed momentum.
Smith had a rare double failure last week, scoring 0 and 21 against Queensland in Brisbane but duly made amends.
"I think he was really determined after the Gabba, it was maybe a bit of a shock to his system, missing out," Henriques said.
"Heaven forbid, he's a human being.
"But the very next match he churns out a hundred and I could tell after the the last game he was hungry."
Henriques and Smith upped the tempo as the pair piled on 174 runs in the last session.
"They weren't able to keep the same amount of pressure on that they put on us in the hour leading up to tea,' Henriques said.
"The bowlers aren't robots, they wear and tear with fatigue late in the day."
Henriques gave Smith a 38-run and 118-ball head start, but overtook his illustrious partner in the mid-60s.
He has already cracked a dozen boundaries and four sixes in his 175-ball stay.
Earlier Test opener David Warner fell for one before lunch, slashing a Sam Rainbird delivery outside off stump through to wicketkeeper Tim Paine.
In his past 13 first-class innings, Warner has been dismissed for 11 or less 11 times, a slump briefly offset by one half-century and a solitary hundred.
Rainbird (2-47) also dismissed opener Daniel Hughes, who was caught at backward point off for 39 after adding 88 with Smith.
Middle order Test aspirant Kurtis Patterson hasn't batted yet for NSW after aggravating his quadriceps injury on Thursday.
