Stats: Batsmen with 1000-plus Test runs in most consecutive years

Australian skipper Steve Smith displayed unflappable batsmanship at the WACA on day three of the third Ashes Test match. Smith scored his 22nd Test ton and completed 1000 Test runs in the year 2017. The right-hand batsman became the only second cricketer after Matthew Hayden to score 1000-plus runs for four successive years.

Former Aussie opener Hayden cracked the 1000-run code for five consecutive years, starting from 2001 to 2005. The current Aussie skipper has scored his runs at an average of 60-plus, which is a record. Haydos scored his runs at an average of 60-plus for the first three years as his average took a beating in 2004- 43.19. Windies legendary former batter Brian Lara and England’s Kevin Pietersen are the only other two batsmen to have scored 1000-plus runs at an average of 50-plus in three successive years.

Smith on a scoring spree

Smith is currently leading the Ashes campaign for Australia with more than 370 runs, the next best being Dawid Malan with 248 runs. The skipper came to the crease with the Englishmen in full control, as the hosts were struggling at 55/2, but some outstanding application from Smith and a vital knock from Mitch Marsh bailed the Aussies out of trouble.

Smith is inching closer to the double hundred mark as the hosts now lead 50-plus runs in the ongoing Perth Test.

Former Aussie cricketer Michael Slater has said that Smith is smart and can adapt to conditions well. “I think he’s the smartest batsman around. The difference between him and the others is that no batsman adjusts quicker to the conditions. He can score a century off 140 balls when the conditions are good,” said Slater.

“Or off 300 balls if he has to. That’s the difference. A lot of the batsmen don’t play smart like he does. This was one of his great innings.” he added.

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