Australia vice-captain Steven Smith followed batter Marnus Labuschagne (204) to score the second double century of the ongoing first Test match against West Indies in Perth. Having shared a 251-run third-wicket partnership spanning across three sessions, the duo ended up scoring in vicinity of each other to power the team to 598/4d in 152.4 overs.
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Resuming from his overnight score of 59*, Smith scored 141 runs on Day 2 to bring up a fourth Test double century joining former Australian captains Greg Chappell and Michael Clarke to register the joint seventh highest number of Test double centuries.
It all happened on the penultimate delivery of the Australian innings when Smith hit a Kraigg Brathwaite delivery on the off-side to touch the 200-run mark. Having added 196 runs for the fourth wicket, Smith and Travis Head (99) piled on the agony on the visitors but the latter failed to score a fifth Test century after playing a Brathwaite delivery on to his stumps before captain Pat Cummins declared the innings.
As far as Smith is concerned, the right-handed batter put on display another sublime piece of batting on the back of an authoritative and commanding stay in the middle at the Perth Stadium. In what was his 28th Test century, it was also his 15th at home and at No. 4, 13th as non-captain, third against West Indies and second in 2022 and under Cummins.
Smith, who scored 200* (311) with the help of 17 fours, batted at a strike rate of 64.30 to never look under any sort of trouble by the West Indian bowlers. Kick-starting the Australian Test summer in such a manner especially after a remodeled technique, Smith would be confident of more similar substantial contributions in the next four Tests at home in the near future.
Steve Smith double century in Test matches full list
| Score | Balls | 4s | 6s | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| 215 | 346 | 25 | 1 | England | Lord’s | 2015 |
| 239 | 399 | 30 | 1 | England | WACA | 2017 |
| 211 | 319 | 24 | 2 | England | Old Trafford | 2019 |
| 200* | 311 | 17 | 0 | West Indies | Perth Stadium | 2022 |
