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Smith suffered vertigo before second ton

3 minute read

Steve Smith has revealed he almost missed Sunday's one-day win over India after suffering at least a second bout of vertigo in the space of three months.

STEVE SMITH
STEVE SMITH Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Steve Smith's spellbinding 62-ball century on Sunday came just hours after a bout of vertigo he thought would rule him out of the clash with India.

Smith labelled Sunday's century as better than the one he hit off just as many balls two days earlier, as he barely gave a chance in the superb knock.

But it didn't come as easy as it looked for the 31-year-old at the SCG.

Smith has since revealed he suffered from vertigo on Sunday morning, which usually leaves those affected feeling dizzy and as if their surroundings are spinning.

"I didn't know I was playing," Smith told cricket.com.au.

"I had a really bad dose of vertigo this morning and I was struggling until ... I came down early to have a hit and a bit of a run around.

"The doctor, I think he performed six Epley manoeuvres on me this morning and got the crystals out of my ears and I was struggling for a bit.

"Just pleased to be able to get out here and play another good innings and help the team."

Smith is known to have battled vertigo earlier this year on Australia's white-ball tour of England.

The main concern could be whether the symptoms continue, given Australia's hectic schedule over the next four months which includes Test series against India and South Africa.

Regardless, it was his second straight century on Sunday that sent others into a spin ahead of the summer.

Marnus Labuschagne labelled it one of the best one-day centuries he has seen, while teammate Glenn Maxwell declared his form as "scary".

"It's pretty special to watch," Maxwell said.

"It's looking pretty scary at the moment for opposition teams.

"He's placing the ball as well as anyone would in the world and when he puts the foot down, he goes hard.

"He's still hitting the ball into gaps ... he's calculated and just looks like he's got so much time."

The gun batsman landed in Australia earlier this month after a patchy Indian Premier League campaign that was well below his lofty standards.

But Smith, who declared with glee last week he had "found" his hands, clicked into form while training in quarantine and has already reaped great rewards.

Asked about his strike-rate on Sunday night, Smith suggested he tried whacking the ball too hard in the IPL but is now hitting with "a bit more finesse".

The former captain has a knack of lifting for series against India, having scored seven Test tons and five ODI hundreds against them.

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