Steve Smith lived as much as his billing because the Big Bash League’s marquee signing by belting his solution to the primary century in Sydney Sixers’ historical past, serving to set the Adelaide Strikers a difficult 204 runs for victory in Coffs Harbour.
In his second recreation again from a three-year BBL hiatus, Smith smashed 101 from 56 deliveries on Tuesday evening to equal his highest rating in any T20 match, set within the Indian Premier League in 2016.
WATCH IN THE VIDEO ABOVE: Steve Smith reaches his century.
Watch, Stream & Catch Up with Australia’s House of Cricket on 7plus >>
Smith’s 149-run partnership with Kurtis Patterson (43) was additionally the best of this summer season’s BBL and allowed the Sixers to get better from the early lack of Josh Philippe (1) after being despatched in.
The equal-best particular person innings of the BBL summer season got here to an finish when Smith scrapped plans to sneak a second run however slipped as he turned again to his crease solely to be run out by Matt Brief.
Smith’s dismissal was bookended by the fast wickets of Patterson and captain Moises Henriques (4) in a six-ball interval – the one spotlight for the Strikers within the subject.
The Strikers missed three early probabilities to nab Smith.
The previous Take a look at captain first slid into his crease simply earlier than Colin de Grandhomme hit the stumps immediately, then prevented chopping on in the identical over when the ball rolled from his bat however didn’t knock the bails off. Within the subsequent over, Smith edged Henry Thornton simply shy of wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
Smith then went into overdrive, kickstarting his innings with consecutive boundaries off Wes Agar and bringing his half-century up with a 4 previous deep level.
With a single from the final ball earlier than drinks, the 33-year-old equaled his earlier BBL excessive rating of 66 earlier than accelerating.
Patterson started to get in on the motion within the energy surge, slapping a 4 previous deep cowl to deliver up the 100-run partnership.
With a six over deep backward sq. leg, Smith turned the third man this summer season to hit a BBL century and broke Philippe’s document for the best rating by a Sixers batsman (99).
The century provides to a superb summer season with the bat for Smith, who made an unbeaten 200 towards the West Indies and a century towards South Africa.
After the Sixers misplaced Patterson, Smith and Henriques for 4 runs, Jordan Silk (31 not out) partnered with Dan Christian (15) to take the entire to 5-203.
