'I don't know about catch of the century!' – Steve Smith pulls off a cracker as Australia trample India

By Sports Desk March 19, 2023

Steve Smith brushed off the personal plaudits and hailed the efforts of Mitchell Starc and Australia's openers after a 10-wicket trouncing of India on Sunday.

The tourists dominated in Visakhapatnam to level their three-match ODI series at 1-1, bowling out India for 117 in 26 overs before taking just 11 overs to pick off their target.

Victory at YS Raja Reddy Cricket Stadium sets up a decider in Chennai on Wednesday, with India's nine-match winning run in home ODIs having been brought to a halt.

Australia pace spearhead Starc took 5-53 in a dazzling display, before Mitchell Marsh (66 not out) and Travis Head (51 not out) made it a rout.

Smith made a stunning catch to dismiss Hardik Pandya midway through India's innings, diving away to his right at first slip to give Sean Abbott (3-23) a wicket.

That prompted Smith to be asked about whether it could be considered a "catch of the century", but he appeared slightly bemused by the suggestion.

"I don't know about catch of the century," he said at the post-match presentation. "It was nice I held on today.

"I had a couple of opportunities in the last game that were quite similar and they were just out of reach. I couldn't get my hand quite around it, but I was fortunate I was able to do that today.

"It was a big wicket, Hardik's an unbelievable player, so it was nice to hang on to it."

This match rapidly got away from India, who had won the series opener by five wickets.

"It was a quick one – 37 overs for the game, you don't see that too often," Smith said. "I thought our bowlers were outstanding this afternoon. Mitchell Starc in particular with that new ball swinging it back down the line and putting them under early pressure.

"He complemented really well with the rest of our bowling group and it was a nice start to the day. It was one of those days when every time they nicked it, it went to hand. Fortunately we were on the right side of it."

The batting went well too.

"The way that Heady and Mitch went out and went after against the bowlers, put them under pressure early. When you're chasing 118 you can break the back of it pretty quickly," Smith said. "It was a really good day, and I'm really proud we managed to bounce back after the last game."

India captain Rohit Sharma said his team let themselves down.

"We always knew that was not enough runs on the board," Rohit said. "Obviously it was not a 117 pitch at all. By no means. We just didn't apply ourselves and kept losing wickets. That didn't allow us to get the runs we wanted."

Related items

  • Australia 3-1 Ecuador: Irvine, Mabil and Kuol lead Socceroos to victory Australia 3-1 Ecuador: Irvine, Mabil and Kuol lead Socceroos to victory

    Jackson Irvine, Awer Mabil and Garang Kuol fired Australia to a 3-1 victory against Ecuador at the CommBank Stadium on Friday.

    In their first game since the World Cup in Qatar, Australia's preparations for the Asian Cup got off to an ideal start.

    First-half goals from Jackson and Mabil came either side of Felix Torres' equaliser in an action-packed opening period.

    A much quieter second half saw few opportunities before 18-year-old Kuol scored his first senior international goal, ensuring there would be no late fightback from the South American side.

    The hosts took the lead after 13 minutes, Mitchell Duke brilliantly volleying Craig Goodwin's free-kick back across the face of goal to Irvine, who converted into the empty net – though replays showed Duke should have been flagged for offside.

    Ecuador responded quickly to the setback and, having seen Michael Estrada drag a glorious chance wide of the mark, levelled when Torres met Jeremy Sarmiento's cross and guided a header past Mathew Ryan.

    Australia regained the lead in the 32nd minute, with Irvine dispossessing Piero Hincapie on the edge of the area and seeing the ball fall kindly for Mabil, who smashed a fierce strike into the top-right corner.

    Manchester City's Alex Robertson made his debut in the second half, despite having yet to make a senior appearance for the Premier League side, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in featuring for the Socceroos.

    There were few opportunities in the second half, but Moises Ramirez clawed an effort from Kye Rowles off the line, with Goodwin's set-piece delivery again causing problems for the visitors.

    Though Ecuador dominated possession for much of the latter exchanges, the South Americans were unable to create opportunities to test Ryan and the hosts held on to secure victory.

    The win was secured in the 84th minute, with teenage substitute Kuol on hand to poke in Aziz Behich's driven cross.

  • McCaskie scores 92 to guide Pride to first-innings lead over Red Force at Queen’s Park Oval McCaskie scores 92 to guide Pride to first-innings lead over Red Force at Queen’s Park Oval

    Opener Zachary McCaskie fell eight runs shy of a maiden first-class hundred as the Barbados Pride hold a 37-run lead over the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force after day two of their fourth-round fixture at the Queen’s Park Oval

    At lunch, the Pride were 108-3 off 40 overs. Zachary McCaskie and Shane Dowrich were the batsmen at the crease on 71 and two, respectively.

    McCaskie carried on after lunch and looked set for his maiden first-class ton before he fell for 92.

    At tea, the Pride were 222-6 off 72 overs. Roshon Primus and Akeem Jordan were the batsmen at the crease on 38 and 22, respectively.

    Shortly after tea, Primus brought up his fifty before being dismissed for a 71-ball 53.

    Eventually, the Pride were bowled out for 271 in 85 overs, a first innings lead of 68 runs.

    The Red Force were 31-2 in their second innings at stumps, trailing by 37 runs with Darren Bravo (20) and Brian Charles (5) at the crease.

  • Chanderpaul, Imlach score late fifties as Harpy Eagles build 301-run lead over Scorpions Chanderpaul, Imlach score late fifties as Harpy Eagles build 301-run lead over Scorpions

    Opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul and wicket-keeper/batsman Tevin Imlach notched late half-centuries as the Guyana Harpy Eagles ended day two of their fourth-round fixture against the Jamaica Scorpions with a 301-run second innings lead at Providence.

    The hosts began the day 268-9 off 86.3 overs.

    Harpy Eagles captain Leon Johnson carried on from his overnight 142 to finish 150* as Guyana were bowled out for 278 off 88.1 overs.

    Marquino Mindley ended with 3-34 while Ojay Shields and Derval Green both ended with two wickets.

    The Scorpions endured a horrendous start to their reply losing half of the team for just 24 runs inside six overs and three balls.

    Eventually, they found themselves 64-9 in the 18th over before a39-run 10th wicket partnership between Derval Green and Nicholson Gordon meant they entered the lunch break 103-9 off 27 overs.

    The pair added 12 more runs after lunch before Green fell for a top score 42 as the Scorpions were dismissed for 115 in 35.5 overs.

    Nial Smith ended with 5-39 while Veerasammy Permaul and Ronsford Beaton took 3-22 and 2-22, respectively.

    Mindley then led a Scorpions fightback before tea as he grabbed four quick wickets, including that of Leon Johnson, within the first 12 overs of the Harpy Eagles second innings.

    The score at tea was 37-4 with Tagenarine Chanderpaul on 14 and Tevin Imlach yet to get off the mark.

    After tea, Chanderpaul and Imlach continued on to leave the Harpy Eagles 138-4 at stumps, a lead of 301 runs with Chanderpaul on 60 and Imlach on 50.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.