How Proteas have slowed super Smith

It’s hard to imagine, but South Africa might have found a way to stop Australia run machine Steve Smith.

Smith is averaging 32.50 through two of the four Test matches against the Proteas, with a top score of 56 – his only half-century.

But the South African stranglehold over the Australia captain stretches back seven Tests – a span that dates back to the second Test in Port Elizabeth four years ago.

In that septet of matches, Smith did not score a century, which is the longest stretch of matches the world No.1 Test batsman has gone without posting three figures against a single nation.

It’s a surprising statistic given the 27-year-old has scored at least one century in every series comprising at least three Tests since his permanent employment in the Baggy Green at the start of the 2013 Ashes.

That is, with one exception: Against the Proteas in 2016, where the visitors won 2-1 and Smith posted a top score of 59 in Adelaide. 

So what’s the secret to keeping Smith quiet? South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis offered an insight when he spoke to the media on match eve at Newlands.

“I think with all good players you want to make sure that you make it as tough as possible for them, especially that first hour or first 15-20 balls,” du Plessis said.

“They are just a little bit better than normal players. If you get them going quickly they kick-start their innings very quickly. 

“For me as a captain, it’s important how we start against him. 

“In the previous game he was one off 15 balls or something like that. 

“It’s about making sure you’re particularly concentrating when you’re bowling that first few balls at him to make him not get off to that fluent innings, to make his innings get going. 

“But he’s a very good player so I’m sure he’ll be very hungry for runs this Test match.”

With a Test average of 62.49 and 23 Test hundreds, it would appear it’s only a matter of time before Smith reaches triple figures again.

Australian fans need only to cast their minds back to the Magellan Ashes summer where Smith plundered 687 runs and three centuries, and perhaps left another two out in the middle.

And in what could be an ominous sign for du Plessis and Proteas, Smith said on Tuesday he’s hitting the ball better in practice than he did during the Ashes.

“I feel really good, my hit today was the best for six months,” Smith told reporters in Cape Town. 

“It’s probably been the opposite throughout the summer; I didn’t feel I was hitting the ball that well but my mind was in a good place, maybe now my mind is not in as good a space as it was but I feel now I am hitting the ball batter. 

“It’s nice to mix and match between the two, but if I get the two in the right place together then hopefully it will mean some big runs.”

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, AB de Villiers.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test South Africa won by six wickets. Scorecard

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage