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'Freak of nature': Steve Smith makes mockery of England with insane knock

Australian Associated Press

Steve Smith benefited from a dropped catch and costly no-ball in a superb knock of 211 but he feels it was England's bouncer barrage that played into Australia's hands at Old Trafford, where they declared at 8-497.

England will resume at 1-23 on day three of the fourth Ashes Test, with focus already shifting to whether more rain can help them hold on for a draw that would deny the visitors an urn-retaining victory.

All of the talk leading up to the decisive clash, which comes with the series level at 1-1, was how Smith would handle mental demons and a short-pitched salvo in his Test return from concussion.

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As the maestro manipulated the field in yet another masterclass that lasted almost eight and a half hours, Thursday's chatter quickly returned to comparisons between Smith and Don Bradman plus a stack of remarkable statistics.

The world's top-ranked batsman, wearing a StemGuard for the first time in a match after being struck on the neck by Jofra Archer at Lord's, was pleased England peppered him with bumpers.

Steve Smith, pictured celebrating his double century.
Steve Smith celebrates his double century. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

"To go as short as they did, and as early as they did with the new ball, (it) softened that ball up and played into our hands," Smith said.

"If they bowl a lot at my head then they're not bowling at my stumps and trying to get me out lbw and caught behind.

"When Stuart Broad came on with the new ball, he bowled some really nice lengths and beat my bat ... I got an inside edge.

"He was quite challenging when he hit that length."

Smith was out edging to Jack Leach on 118, only for replays to reveal the left-arm spinner overstepped.

"I was a bit angry with that shot," Smith said.

"You always need some luck when you score big runs.

"I lost a bit of concentration for around 20 minutes or so ... after I got caught off the no-ball I switched myself back on."

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Smith was on 65 when he belted a full toss back at Archer, who failed to snaffle the sharp return catch in his opening over on day two.

Smith was otherwise largely in control during a pressure-laden knock that dragged his team from 2-28 to 8-438.

Joe Root, whose miserable stint in the field spanned 126 overs, brought himself on to bowl after Smith breezed through the nervous 190s and celebrated his most meaningful milestone since the Cape Town cheating scandal.

Smith's reverse-sweep dismissal to Root said more about the state of the scoreboard and looming declaration than the hapless hosts.

Steve Smith and Joe Root, pictured here during the fourth Ashes Test.
Steve Smith celebrates as Joe Root looks on. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

"England had no idea how to get him out. In the end, he had to get himself out," former England skipper Nasser Hussain said in commentary.

All three of Smith's Test double-tons have come against England.

"He's obviously got the bit between his teeth and is in great form. You've got to give him a lot of credit," keeper Jonny Bairstow said.

Tim Paine, who was dropped on nine and 49 before falling for 58 - his highest score in almost a year, and Mitchell Starc (54no) also played key roles with the bat.