‘Witnessing greatness’: Smith wows with fresh Ashes heroics

After being sent in on an English seamer, the tourists started day two on 5-339 – with Steve Smith unbeaten on 85 – following a disastrous opening day for the home side.

They’ll face new, but familiar, challenges on Thursday after being met with a wet London morning.

Follow the live action, and the weather updates, in our live blog below.

8.47PM: SMITH REACHES 32ND TEST CENTURY

We are not worthy. If there were any doubters following his first-Test failures in Edgbaston, Steve Smith took little time in reminding them of his greatness at Lord’s.

The Australian vice-captain hits Jimmy Anderson through the covers for a boundary to bring up yet another milestone – again adding his name to the record books.

“We witnessing greatness in front of our eyes – one of the all-time greats,” says former England captain Nasser Hussain.

It is his 32nd Test century, his 12th against England – leaving him trailing only Sir Donald Bradman in the terms of Ashes centuries – and it has put Australia in a commanding position in the second Test.

Needing 15 runs at the start of the day’s play, Smith peeled off 12 of those runs in boundaries in quick succession – before dragging out the final run in an agonising wait across two overs.

8.40PM: SMITH MOVES TO 99 AFTER QUICK FLURRY

Steve Smith is doing it in a hurry now!

A trio of boundaries quickly takes him from 87 to 99, and within reach of his 12th Ashes ton – and 32nd overall.

The fall of Carey and Starc in quick time looks to have sped him up a touch.

8.30PM: WICKET! AUSSIE TAIL EXPOSED

Mitchell Starc comes, and goes.

He hit a boundary with his first delivery – but lasted only 10 in total before flashing at a wider delivery from Jimmy Anderson.

He takes a thick edge, and Jonny Bairstow takes a solid catch.

He goes for 6. And in comes first-Test hero Pat Cummins.

Cummins joins Steve Smith on 87, who will now want to dominate the strike and push his way towards a century – while nudging along Australia’s first innings tail.

8.15PM: WICKET! CAREY FALLS EARLY AFTER BRIEF CAMEO

England have some DRS revenge – and it has removed Alex Carey for 22.

The keeper-batsman started brightly this morning, hammering a couple of boundaries to push Australia past 350.

But he becomes Stuart Broad’s first victim of the Test, trapped in front before being given not out. Ben Stokes opts to send it up-stairs, and despite some concerns about the height, it is shown to be crashing into all three stumps.

After their DRS struggles yesterday, that is a big wicket for England. They are into the Australian tail now, starting with the recalled Mitchell Starc.

8.10PM: ENGLAND WOE AS VICE-CAPTAIN REMAINS SIDELINED

A new day, but the same problem for England vice-captain Ollie Pope.

The No.3 batsman was forced from the field early in Australia’s innings after suffering a shoulder injury in the field.

While diving to save a boundary off Marnus Labuschagne, Pope jolted his troublesome right shoulder and immediately left for treatment, failing to return.

England are again fielding with a replacement, with Pope back in the dressing room, but he is expected to pad up when it’s England’s turn to bat.

8PM: RAIN CLEARS, AUSTRALIA EYE HUGE TARGET

After a morning of rain and gloom, I have the magic words for you: we have started on time.

The skies do look mildly terrifying – dark and thick with clouds. That’s terrifying both in the sense that, for Steve Smith and Alex Carey, they’re bowler-friendly but also because rain does not seem too far away.

But Jimmy Anderson will start to Smith to open day two.

And after that? How many runs do Australia need from here? Another 150 runs would push Australia right on the cusp of 500, a mark that would be extraordinary having been sent in on a seam-friendly wicket.

They’d certainly take it, but even a first target of 400 would be firmly in their sights in this morning session, weather permitting.

7.45PM: SMITH ON CUSP OF (MORE) GREATNESS

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but Steve Smith is not just incredibly good at cricket – he’s also on the cusp of a little bit more history.

I’ll let CODE Sport’s Jacob Kuriype take it from here, to run you through some of the milestones in front of Smith in the first session of play today.

“Another 15 runs to his overnight score will see Smith move to equal second for the most Ashes centuries ever, level with England’s Jack Hobbs (12) and behind only the incomparable Sir Don Bradman (19).

“If he does get there, Smith’s 12 Ashes tons would have come across 34 Tests and 59 innings, markedly quicker than Hobbs who played 71 innings across his 41 Ashes Tests.

“The century would also be Smith’s 32nd in all Tests, taking him to equal second for Australians alongside Steve Waugh and behind only Ricky Ponting (41).”

7.30PM: WEATHER CLEARING, CLOUDS REMAIN

Whisper it… but there could be some optimistic signs at Lord’s. They are looking to start on time.

The teams are out in the middle for a much-needed warm-up in the cold conditions, and while the hover cover remains next to the pitch, there’s a sense of optimism, despite the ever-present threat of rain.

There is, however, a lot of cloud cover hanging over the famous ground – something which should be cause for concern for Australia’s unbeaten pair, Steve Smith and Alex Carey.

Batting looks like it could be better this afternoon… but if Smith and Carey are still in the middle by then, England will be in a deep hole.

7.00PM: BIZARRE THEORY BEHIND ENGLAND’S LORD’S SHAMBLES

Australia loves Lord’s – at this point that’s just a bonafide fact.

And it’s not just Steve Smith, who is unbeaten on 85 and already owns a Test double-century at the ground.

Australia has lost just three Ashes Tests against England since the 1800s – two in the past 15 years, and a third in 1934.

Outside of those occasions, the Home of Cricket has been a barren ground for England against Australia.

And the BBC’s Henry Moeran has a theory: because it is too quiet.

Essentially the polar opposite of the opening Test venue, Edgbaston, where the raucous Hollies Stand creates a hostile atmosphere across al five days, the Lord’s crowd is far more sedate.

England fan group the Barmy Army traditionally has a trumpeter to lead its chants, but instruments are banned from the ground, creating a far different atmosphere.

And it plays a role.

“With a generally quieter atmosphere (no instruments allowed, for example), is the Lord’s experience too comfortable for visiting sides?” asked Moeran.

6.30PM: GRIM FORECAST FACES AUSSIES

After a dominant opening day, Australia would be keen to twist the knife early on day two at Lord’s.

Unfortunately, the English weather Gods have different ideas.

It’s wet and dreary in London right now, with steady rain falling throughout the morning, and more precipitation on the radar.

Steve Smith will resume on 85, with a 32nd Test century in his sights, alongside Alex Carey (11 not out).

4PM: SECOND TO BRADMAN: SMITH’S RAREFIED AIR

By Jacob Kuriype

After the rarest of twin failures in the series opener, Steve Smith is back in familiar territory on the cusp of Ashes history.

Smith will resume play on day two of the second Test on 85, opposite Alex Carey (11), with the Australians on course for a big first innings total at 5-339.

Another 15 runs to his overnight score will see Smith move to equal second for the most Ashes centuries ever, level with England’s Jack Hobbs (12) and behind only the incomparable Sir Don Bradman (19).

There is every chance the Australian will have to wait for his chance to bring up the century, with showers expected through the morning.

If he does get there, Smith’s 12 Ashes tons would have come across 34 Tests and 59 innings, markedly quicker than Hobbs who played 71 innings across his 41 Ashes Tests.

The century would also be Smith’s 32nd in all Tests, taking him to equal second for Australians alongside Steve Waugh and behind only Ricky Ponting (41).

At stumps on day one, Smith’s career Ashes run tally sat at 3151. That makes him the fifth highest run-scorer in Ashes history, but he could leapfrog Waugh (3173) and Allan Border (3222) to third if he carries on his form from overnight.

The match has already seen the Australian great celebrate one significant milestone as he went past 9000 career Test runs. In terms of innings played, only Kumar Sangakkara (172 innings) has reached the landmark quicker than Smith (174).

Smith is currently Australia’s fourth greatest Test run scorer, behind Waugh (10,927), Border (11,174) and Ponting (13,378).

Sent out to bat, the Australians made the most of ill-disciplined bowling and sloppy fielding from the hosts, with David Warner (66) and Travis Head (77) both making half-centuries.

Originally published as Ashes 2023 live: Steve Smith hits impressive century at Lord’s, Australia control 2nd Test