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Galle. Australia’s scoring machine, Steve Smith, is not shy when it comes to breaking one Test record after another. His latest came on the first day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka when he single handedly removed two Sri Lankan batters from the crease in a unique fashion.
The now 35-year-old did dismiss Kamindu Mendis as well as Prabath Jayasuriya while also enhancing his non-wicketkeeper Test catches to 197. He previously New South Welshman Ricky Ponting and his mark of 196. He now sits at 197, which puts him just three placements behind all-rounder Jacques Kallis when it comes to the only five fielders in the history of Test cricket to reach the 200-catch milestone. Amongst this elite boundary, Smith finds himself behind Rahul Dravid, Joe Root, Mahela Jayawardene, and Kallis. In terms of nationality, the story is quite different. Smith ranks first amongst ever other Australian fielders, with Ponting and Mark Waugh (181) coming in at second and third place respectively.
Most catches in men’s Tests
210 – Rahul Dravid (India) in 164 matches
207 – Joe Root (England) in 152 matches
205 – Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) in 149 matches
200 – Jacques Kallis (South Africa) in 166 matches
197 – Steve Smith (Australia) in 116* matches
196 -Ricky Ponting (Australia) in 116 Matches
Dinesh Chandimal had an impressive middle-order score of 74 runs, with Kusal Mendis also adding a fifty. Sri Lanka was 229/9 by the end of Day 1 of the Test match. Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon took three wickets each, while Matthew Kuhnemann took two wickets.
