Smith, who entered the match with his sights set on the landmark, contributed 28 runs from 88 deliveries before his innings was brought to an end by Wiaan Mulder. His knock included two boundaries, providing the necessary runs to join an exclusive group of batting greats. By achieving this feat in 226 innings, Smith now stands as the fifth-fastest player in the history of the format to reach the 11,000-run mark.
An elite company of Australian run-scorers
With this accomplishment, Smith joins former Australian captains Ricky Ponting and Allan Border as the only players from the nation to have surpassed the 11,000-run threshold. Ponting remains the leading Australian run-scorer in the format with 13,378 runs, while Border concluded his distinguished career with a total of 11,174 runs.
The pace at which Smith reached the milestone highlights his consistency in the longest format. He sits behind only Kumar Sangakkara, who holds the record for the fewest innings to reach 11,000 runs at 208, followed by Brian Lara at 213, Ricky Ponting at 222, and Sachin Tendulkar at 223. Smith’s achievement places him ahead of other legendary figures such as Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis, both of whom required 234 innings to reach the same tally.
A challenging outing for the Australian side
While the milestone marked a personal high for Smith, it occurred during a difficult outing for the Australian team. The visitors struggled significantly against the South African bowling attack, eventually being dismissed for just 99 runs in their first innings. Marco Jansen proved particularly effective for the hosts, claiming five wickets to dismantle the Australian batting lineup, while Mulder added two, including the wicket of the milestone-man himself.
South Africa’s dominant position was built on a strong first-innings performance, anchored by captain Temba Bavuma’s 179 and a valuable 85 from Jansen, which helped the team recover from an early collapse. Following the conclusion of Australia's first innings, South Africa opted to enforce the follow-on, leaving the visitors facing immense pressure as the second Test continues.
