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Best since Bradman: Smith powers Aussies to commanding position after blistering Head start pummels Poms

Admin January 05, 2026

Steve Smith rivals Ricky Ponting for the mantle of Australia’s “best since Bradman” when it comes to batting prowess. 

If you are judging the debate on Ashes runs, Smith (3683) is the greatest since The Don (5028) from either side after leapfrogging early 20th century English legend Jack Hobbs (3636) at the SCG on Tuesday.

Smith’s sterling 129 not out, following Travis Head’s explosive 163, has put Australia in with a strong chance of wrapping up a 4-1 Ashes series triumph to send Usman Khawaja into retirement on a winning note.

Australia are not quite home and hosed but after finishing day three on 7-518, a lead of 134, they have England on their knees and with little left to play for, it would not surprise if the tourists turn up their toes on day four.

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And if Smith is the best since Bradman, Head is definitely the best Aussies batter since the stand-in skipper made his debut nearly 16 years ago.

In a perfect illustration of their differing styles, Head bludgeoned the bludger of a visiting bowling attack while Smith dismembered England with less force but just as much damage.

Head resumed on 91 after his day-two demolition and brought up his milestone with a square drive off Josh Tongue.

It was his 12th Test century, third in this series and he became the first player to reach triple figures at the five major Australian venues as well as Hobart and Canberra.

Travis Head celebrates after scoring a century.

Travis Head celebrates after scoring a century. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

If England were to be any hope of seizing the advantage on day three, they needed to remove the nightwatcher in Michael Neser before he chewed up valuable petrol from their bowling attack.

Neser hung around for more than an hour and England burned two incorrect DRS challenges trying to extract the veteran Queenslander from the crease before Brydon Carse found his outside edge on 24 for keeper Jamie Smith to pouch a regulation catch.

After getting to his hundred in just 105 deliveries, Head put the foot down slightly without overdoing it but should have been on his way on 121 when Will Jacks fumbled a sitter in the outfield off Carse. 

He batted at eight, barely got a bowl so if he’s not in the team for his fielding, why is he there?

Matthew Potts struggled on day two in his first bowl for the series and he was indeed worse on Tuesday, bringing up his unwanted hundred in his 16th over when Head slammed yet another half-tracker into the crowd.

Jacob Bethell was rewarded for tossing the ball up with his left-arm spinners when he trapped Head in front on 163 to give England brief respite.

England were clearly unprepared for Australia’s injury-enforced switch of putting Head up to opener.

But it is also apparent that the Poms had no real plan to curtail Head, who was player of the series four years ago on their previous tour Down Under.

And if they did have a workable strategy, they did not put it into place because they have been spraying the ball in line and length ever since the South Australian leftie strode to the crease unexpectedly to smash a match-winning second-innings ton at Optus Stadium.

Khawaja, in what could be his final Test innings, made his way to 17 before he missed a full ball from Carse, but still got a standing ovation despite selfishly burning a review when he was plumb in front.

Alex Carey raced to 16 with three boundaries before he clipped Tongue to Bethell at leg slip and with the Aussies six down and still 18 in arrears, there was a glimmer of hope for Ben Stokes’ side.

Smith, who had already reached his half-century by the time Khawaja fell, feasted on some woeful bowling served up by the tiring tourists, launching one six down the ground off the opening ball of a Bethell spell and a couple of highlight reel boundaries through covers off the hapless Potts.

Cameron Green, the subject of plenty of speculation about his place in the team, showed why the selectors are so invested in him and why he is yet to cement his spot with a frustratingly short 37.

Green unfurled a couple of stylish drives to the offside boundary and a pull shot which sailed high into the stands off Stokes.

The prince then became the pauper when he pulled a ball he should have cut and succeeded only in skying a catch to deep square leg that even Ben Duckett couldn’t drop.

In a moment which highlighted why Smith is playing chess while England are fumbling with their chequers pieces, he brought up his century by cleverly hopping wide of off stump to fashion a lap sweep to the vacant expanses at fine leg to scamper the three runs required.

Smith’s 71-run stand with Green and another 81 with Beau Webster (42) until stumps means Australia hold the whip hand heading into the final two days, or perhaps day, of the lopsided series.

Whether Smith is indeed the best Australian batter since Bradman’s unprecedented career ended in 1948 with 6996 runs at his iconic average of 99.94 is a debate probably best reserved until he calls it a day.

Smith now has the most Ashes centuries (13) by anyone not named Bradman (19) and is only a couple of hundred runs shy of Ponting’s record (1480) for the most prolific batter at the SCG.

When it comes to overall record, Smith is closing in on 11,000 Test runs at 56.46. He will reel in Steve Waugh (10,927) and Allan Border (11,174) later this year with only Ponting’s 13,378  among baggy green legends left to overtake.


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