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Steve Smith hits BACK-TO-BACK Big Bash League centuries as the Aussie superstar gives a masterclass in hitting 125 not out for Sydney Sixers in mega-clash against David Warner’s Thunder
- Steve Smith made one of the greatest innings of all time in the Big Bash League
- The 33-year-old scored 125 runs off 66 balls for the Sydney Sixers on Saturday.
- David Warner could only stand and watch Smith crush the Thunder
Sydney Sixers star man Steve Smith posted the highest score of his professional career in Twenty20 and claimed bragging rights over David Warner in a 125-run thrashing of the Sydney Thunder.
A crowd of 38,757 turned out to watch the two superstar BBL recruits battle it out in the competition for the first time since December 2013, in a match reduced to 19 overs apiece due to rain.
With his unbeaten 125, Smith scored more than double the amount amassed by the entire Thunder team, shut out by a weak 62, leaving his ultimate fate in limbo as the tournament comes to its pointed end.
Steve Smith delivered another masterclass in helping the Sixers pull off a monster total on Saturday
The Thunder struggled for answers against Sixers player Steve O’Keefe, who posted a BBL career best of 4-10.
But the night belonged to Smith.
Smith’s performance surpassed the 101 he scored against the Adelaide Strikers on Tuesday and was the fifth best innings in BBL history.
He now has a 131 batting average this summer BBL and has hit the most of six, despite playing just three games.
“That’s the best 100 I’ve ever seen live,” O’Keefe said of Smith’s jab.
Smith turned the tables on the Thunder when he hit 125 of 66 balls at the SCG
“The way (Smith) comes back and stays connected and wants to win for whatever team he plays for is pretty special. It is noted that he is obsessed with cricket and wants to score runs.
However, Smith’s furious tackles may have come at a cost; he limped onto the pitch later in the evening and told Fox Cricket that he had been suffering from back spasms.
Warner fell well short of the challenge set by his international teammate, handling just 16 of 23 balls as the Thunder collapsed under the weight of the Sixers’ 2-187 run.
While Smith’s back-to-back centuries have vindicated Cricket Australia’s decision to shell out extra money to bring him back to the BBL, Warner now has one last chance to impress this T20 summer.
The 33-year-old celebrates with the fans as he walks off the pitch having held his wicket.
Smith took full advantage of the SCG’s short limits to punish the Thunder’s bowling attack.
He hit Australian international all-rounder Daniel Sams six times on four occasions, including once sailing all the way to the second tier of the SCG Grandstand.
Joel Davies and Gurinder Sandhu each had six hits twice as Smith finished with nine highs among his 14 caps.
The blow helped the Sixers bounce back from early losses to Josh Philippe (10) and Kurtis Patterson (2), who ended at the same Sandhu (2-42).
They were to be the only wickets lost as Smith and Moises Henriques (45th) forged a 155-run partnership, the most in the current edition of the tournament.
Even without Test spinner Nathan Lyon, who again missed with knee pain, the Sixers players had the visitors covered.
Smith received the man of the match award after the Sixers won by 125 runs.
By the drinking break, the Thunder had more hitters on the bench (four) than caps on the scoreboard (three).
Warner tried to steady the boat as batsmen fell around him, but was dispatched in the first delivery after drinks, hitting O’Keefe’s short ball high to deep into the wicket-half where Jordan Silk caught it.
When O’Keefe bowled to Sams later in the same over, the Thunder fell to 6-40 and were out of the game.
The Thunder must now defeat the Melbourne Stars on Wednesday and then hope other results fall their way to play in the final.
“We were beaten by a much better team tonight,” Thunder coach Trevor Bayliss said.
“We’ve been brilliant at different times so we’re looking forward to playing well again on Wednesday.”