Smith moves to ۲۲۳ career catches, a record for fielders, as Australia bowl out South Africa for ۲۸۴ in reply to ۳۹۰.
Published On ۱۲ Oct ۲۰۲۶
Steve Smith has broken the Test record for the most career catches by a fielder as Australia have played themselves into a strong position on the third day of the first Test against hosts South Africa.
Smith held four catches on Sunday, taking his total to ۲۲۳, as South Africa were bowled out for ۲۸۴ in reply to Australia’s first innings of ۳۹۰ at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.
Nic Maddinson (۱۷ not out) and Travis Head (۱۰ not out) added ۳۳ runs off just ۵.۴ overs to stretch Australia’s overall lead to ۱۳۹ before bad light ended play for the third day in a row.
Maddinson, who laboured to a ۳۳-ball duck in the first innings, hit two fours off Marco Jansen in the first over of the second innings and added a six off Wiaan Mulder before play was called off.
Australia’s bowlers applied relentless pressure on an easy-paced pitch and a succession of South African batsmen contributed to their own dismissals by playing poor shots.
Six Protea batters reached ۳۰, but David Bedingham’s ۴۹ was the top score.
Australian captain Pat Cummins took three for ۵۴, and Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon claimed two wickets each as Australia’s long-serving bowling quartet combined with customary efficiency.
Smith special in the slips
Smith started the day on ۲۱۹ catches, one behind Joe Root of England.
He equalled the record when he caught Temba Bavuma. Smith, playing in his ۱۲۶th Test, broke the record when he lunged to his left from second slip to hold a sharp edge from Bedingham off Cummins.
Smith was in the action again with a spectacular catch to dismiss Verreynne, again anticipating well at slip as the South African wicketkeeper made good contact with a reverse sweep that Smith held in an outstretched right hand.
His fourth catch was from an edge to slip by last man Anrich Nortje off the bowling of Beau Webster.
Smith’s career haul of ۲۲۳ catches exceeds the total of all but ۱۱ specialist wicketkeepers.
