Steve Smith’s stylish century, his 34th, powered Australia to a strong position against India at lunch Friday on the second day of the fourth test of the five-match series.
Australia resumed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 311-6 and reached 454-7 at lunch, thanks to a 112-run stand between Smith (139 not out) and tailender Pat Cummins (49).
Debutant teenager Sam Konstas (60), Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and Smith all made half-centuries in front of a crowd of over 87,242 on Thursday’s first day’s play.
Smith, who was 68 overnight, moved into the 90s in spectacular fashion with a six over fine leg off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah in the 11th over of the day.
The 35-year-old Smith climbed to equal-seventh in test cricket with 34 centuries, reaching his hundred off 167 deliveries with a glorious cover drive to the boundary. Smith, who began the series with scores of 0, 17 and 2 in the first two tests, also hit 101 in the third in Brisbane.
Cummins and Smith crushed India’s hopes of an early breakthrough Friday with a century stand for the seventh wicket. Cummins was caught at deep cover off the bowling of spinner Ravindra Jadeja at 411-7.
Read: Kohli and Australia teen Konstas provide a fiery start to the 4th cricket test
Smith’s unbeaten knock has included 13 fours and three sixes. Mitchell Starc is 15 not out as India’s bowlers struggle to contain Australia’s batters.
In an explosive start to the fourth test Thursday, the audacious batting of 19-year-old Konstas, including reverse-scooping India’s pace spearhead Bumrah over slips to the boundary, infuriated India batting great Virat Kohli.
At the completion of the 10th over of the match, ex-skipper Kohli collided shoulder to shoulder with Konstas, who had his head down adjusting his batting gloves. Kohli pleaded guilty after play to making “inappropriate physical contact” with Konstas.
Match referee Andy Pycroft fined 36-year-old Kohli 20% of his match fee. Kohli also received one demerit point.
The five-match series is level at 1-1 after a rainy draw at Brisbane, The fifth and final test is scheduled to start on Jan. 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.