Steve Smith makes more cricket history in fifth Ashes Test

Steve Smith showed signs of a taxing four-month stint in England but still batted for long enough at the Oval to enter more uncharted territory.

Smith was in no mood to discuss his legendary status after scoring 80 in London on Friday, before England survived a dramatic four-over burst to emerge with a 78-run lead at stumps on day two of the fifth Test.

Nor was Smith concerned about the prospect of his epic rivalry with Jofra Archer continuing at home in 2021-22.

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"Who knows? When's the next Ashes series? I don't even know. Will I still be playing? I'm not sure, who knows the answer to that. We'll see," Smith said.

"He's a quality performer."

Smith, who needed a stack of Codral cold and flu tablets during his knock on day two of the final Ashes Test, logged his lowest score of a remarkable series.

It means Smith, who now has 751 runs at 125.16 in the series, needs a mammoth 223 in his second dig to reach Don Bradman's peerless tally of 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes.

Smith, who has scored a third of Australia's runs this series despite missing three innings because of concussion, nonetheless set a few more remarkable records.

The first came when the world's top-ranked batsman skipped down the pitch and lofted a six off Jack Leach to pass 50.

Smith now holds the overall record for most consecutive 50-plus scores against a single opposition, having rattled off 10 in the Ashes.

Smith also equalled West Indies great Everton Weekes' mark of six consecutive Test innings of 75 runs or more.

The 30-year-old suggested he wasn't feeling the burden of expectation that comes with being Australia's best batsman since Bradman.

"People can say whatever they like. Nice things, bad things. Whatever, it really doesn't bother me," Smith said.

"It's just about going out there and doing my thing ... I love batting and just want to bat, score runs and help out the team."