Steve Smith reveals how flu and heat took toll on his health while batting on Day 2 at MCG

David Warner's 200 in his 100th Test match stole the show on Day 2 as Australia tightened their grip in the ongoing second Test match against South Africa. After bowling out the Proteas on 189 runs on Day 1, the Australian team are on the way to posting a mammoth total with already a lead of more than 350 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). 

Apart from Warner's heroics on Day 2, Steven Smith also contributed with 85 runs off just 161 balls to continue his red-hot form in red-ball cricket.. He formed a crucial 239-run partnership with Warner for the third wicket before getting caught out on Anrich Nortje's delivery. Smith missed out on his 30th Test hundred by just 15 runs and after Day 2's play, revealed that he had the flu for the last few days and the heat at the MCG took a big toll on his health on Day 2.

"I've been a pretty crook, actually, the last few days I've had the flu so it wasn't much fun out there. Every time we ran two or three, it really took it out of you. I was just trying to suck in a few deep breaths and take as much time as we could in between those long runs. It was a tough day in terms of the heat but also rewarding," Smith said in the press conference after Day 2.

David Warner was like, 'I’m cramping.' I was like, 'Good. Just keep going: Steve Smith

Warner struggled with a cramp at the end of his innings and was later forced out to walk off the pitch after smashing a double ton. Smith added that Warner's knock was an amazing one and he enjoyed it from the other end. He also revealed how he encouraged the opener to keep going despite struggling with a cramp.

"The more he started to cramp the more shots he started to play and everything seemed to be coming out of the middle. It was an amazing knock and nice to be up the other end for a large chunk of it. I was doing my thing and he was doing his. It was just like, 'Keep batting'. He was like, 'I’m cramping.' I was like, 'Good. Just keep going,'" Smith added.