NEW DELHI: After notching his 32nd Test century for Australia earlier in the day, Steve Smith found himself in an unfamiliar role of bowling the final few deliveries to England captain Ben Stokes. It was an unusual sight as Smith, seemingly reluctant, skipped in to perform this task, displaying his aversion towards it.
"Hopefully I won't have to bowl too much," he told reporters, having stepped in just before the close of the second day of the second Ashes Test to relieve Australia's tired fast bowlers following an injury to their regular spinner Nathan Lyon.
In his remarkable 100th consecutive Test appearance for the visiting team, Lyon experienced a setback during his run-up while trying to catch a ball. It was evident that he had strained his right calf.
1/10:Steve Smith equals Steve Waugh's tally of 32 Test centuries
2/10:Milestone man
<p>After having a rare failure at Edgbaston, Australia’s run machine Steve Smith notched up his 32nd Test hundred, equalling former Aussie skipper Steve Waugh's record on Day 2 of the 2nd Test of the Ashes series at Lord’s.<br /></p>Reuters
3/10:2nd Test hundred at Lord’s
<p>It was Smith’s 2nd Test hundred at Lord’s, which is the most by any Australian since 2010. Smith averages 61.37, scoring 491 runs at Lord’s. It was at the same where he made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2010 and showcased his brilliance by smashing a remarkable 215.<br /></p>AP
4/10:Fastest to reach the 32-ton mark
<p>Smith now has only Ricky Ponting, who has scored 41 centuries, in his sights on Australia's all-time Test ton scoring charts. Moreover, playing his 174th innings in his 99th Test, Smith is the fastest to reach the 32-ton mark.<br /></p>AP
5/10:15K international runs
<p>Smith recorded yet another milestone by completing 15,000 runs in international cricket during the Day 2 of the 2nd Ashes Test at Lord’s.<br /></p>Reuters
6/10:15K international runs
<p>Smith currently averages 49.67 and is bettered only by India's run-machine Virat Kohli (53.44).<br /></p>Reuters
7/10:Smith - 2nd fastest to 9000 Test runs
<p>The Australian run machine went past India’s Rahul Dravid and became the second-fastest player to score 9000 runs in Test cricket. Smith also became the fastest Australian to achieve this feat, surpassing Ricky Ponting.<br /></p>AFP
8/10:Smith - 2nd fastest to 9000 Test runs
<p>Smith went past the milestone vs England at Lord’s in the ongoing Ashes series. It took him 174 innings to achieve this feat.<br /><br /></p>Reuters
9/10:Four 50+ scores at Lord’s
<p>Smith entered the record books by achieving the most consecutive 50+ scores at Lord's in Tests. He has struck four 50+ consecutive scores.<br /><br /></p>AFP
10/10:Most Test hundreds among Fab-4
<p>Smith has the tally of the most hundreds among the famous “Fab-4” in Test cricket. Smith has scored 32 hundreds in Tests whereas, England’s Joe Root has 30 hundreds, India’s Virat Kohli has 28 hundreds, and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson too has 28 hundreds.<br /></p>APConsequently, Steve Smith took charge of the final over of the day, following a brief spell of spin bowling from Travis Head.
"I haven't been working on my bowling at all!" Smith said with a laugh when asked about his single-over stint.
"I thought Heady bowled alright. Heady's probably the one that's going to have a take a fair chunk of the spin, and then maybe myself and Marnus (Labuschagne) will chop in here and there," he added when asked about the team's options for the rest of the Lord's Test.
England's Ben Duckett said the home side sent their best wishes to Lyon, an opponent they clearly respect.
"I really hope it's not too bad for him. You never want see anyone go down with an injury. He was going to play a massive role in that fourth innings, he's such a good bowler," Duckett told reporters.
1/10:Top-5: Fastest players to 9000 Test runs
2/10:Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
<p>Former Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara tops this list and is the fastest player to breach the 9000 run Test landmark. The southpaw achieved this feat against Pakistan at Sharjah in 2011.<br /></p>
3/10:Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
<p>Sangakkara took 172 innings to accomplish this.<br /></p>
4/10:Steven Smith (Australia)
<p>The Australian run machine is the latest entrant on this elite list. Smith went past Rahul Dravid and became the second-fastest player to score 9000 runs in Test cricket recently. Smith also became the fastest Australian to achieve this feat, surpassing Ricky Ponting.<br /></p>
5/10:Steven Smith (Australia)
<p>Smith went past the milestone vs England at Lord’s in the ongoing Ashes series. It took him 174 innings to achieve this feat. <br /><br /><br /></p>
6/10:Rahul Dravid (India)
<p>The former skipper and batting great, Rahul Dravid ranks third on this list. The 'Wall' was a consistent run-getter for India in the red-ball format. Dravid is also the fastest player from India to score 9000 runs in Test cricket.<br /></p>
7/10:Rahul Dravid (India)
<p>Dravid accomplished this feat against the WI in 2006 at Kingston. Dravid went past the milestone in 176 innings.<br /></p>
8/10:Brian Lara (West Indies)
<p>The 'Prince of Trinidad' was among the greatest Test players the world has ever seen. Lara was arguably the best left-hand batter in the longest format of the game. He is also the 4th fastest player to score 9000 runs in Test cricket.<br /></p>
9/10:Brian Lara (West Indies)
<p>Lara went past this milestone in 177 innings vs South Africa in 2004.<br /><br /><br /></p>
10/10:Ricky Ponting (Australia)
<p>Rounding off this list with former Aussie skipper, Ricky Ponting. 'Punter' was one of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball in the longest format of the game.<br /></p>"It'll be interesting to see how they go about it. If they keep going bonkers with all four (fast) bowlers they'll be pretty tired by the end of it," he said.
Smith said he felt the Australia squad had the resources it needed if Lyon's injury were to put him out of action for any length of time, however.
"He could be a huge loss. However we've got Todd Murphy waiting in the wings. He's been bowling beautifully in the nets," he said.
"I'd be confident if he came in he'd do a terrific job for us. But fingers crossed Nathan's alright."
(With inputs from Reuters)
