London, June 11: Australia’s star batter Steve Smith has etched his name into the history books by becoming the highest run-scorer by a visiting batter in Test matches at Lord’s, the iconic venue often referred to as the ‘Home of Cricket’. The milestone came on Day One of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025 against South Africa.
Smith’s composed innings of 66 runs off 112 deliveries, which featured ten classy boundaries, saw him surpass Warren Bardsley’s record of 575 runs at Lord’s. Bardsley, a fellow Australian, had set the benchmark over seven innings at a staggering average of 115. Smith also overtook the legendary Sir Don Bradman, who had amassed 551 runs in eight innings at the same ground.
At 36, Smith continues to dominate English conditions. Heading into this final, he had already recorded three fifties and two centuries at Lord’s, with a career-best 215 against England during the 2015 Ashes series.
His gritty knock came at a crucial time for Australia, who were struggling at 67/4 at lunch due to a fiery opening spell from South African quicks Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, each of whom claimed two early wickets. Smith then steadied the innings alongside Beau Webster, building a much-needed 79-run partnership for the fifth wicket. He was eventually dismissed, caught at slip off part-timer Aiden Markram.
Smith’s 66 not only helped stabilize Australia’s innings but also cemented his place as one of the greats in WTC history. He became the first and only batter to register multiple fifty-plus scores in WTC finals, a testament to his consistency in high-pressure games.
Moreover, with this latest milestone, Smith now holds the record for the most fifty-plus scores by a non-English batter in Tests played in England, with 18 such scores, overtaking legends Allan Border and Viv Richards, who each had 17.
As Australia aims to defend its WTC title, Smith’s brilliance once again proves vital on the biggest stage of Test cricket.
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