Jofra Archer picked up a six wicket-haul as England bowled Australia out for 225 to gain the upper hand on the second day of the fifth and final Ashes Test on Friday despi﷽te another gritty knock from Steve Smith.
Joe Root’s side is desperate to level the series at 2-2 to end their historic World Cup-winning season on a high but have been consistently dogged by the peerless Smith.
The former Australian skipper has now amassed 751 runs in just six innings – more than double the tally of the next highest run-scorer on either side.
But he was forced to settle for his lowest score of the series (at 80) when Chris Woakes trapped him infront of the wickets in t🗹he evening session, leaving the English crowd dumbfounded.
Despite a late flurry of runs, the Aussies had to settle for aꦗ first-innings deficit of 69, with paceman Archer finishing with figures of 6-62.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Jofra Archer takes his second 6-for of the series. The first England bowler to take two 6 wicket hauls in the same Ashes series since Ian B🐟otham in 1981. Full Ashes list:
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket)
Jofra Archer is now averaging 17.27 for England in Test cricket. With a minimum of 20 wickets taken that is the s🌸ixth lowest ever for England and the lowest since Sydney Barnes who last played in 1914. Some start to his career.
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket)
//🔥twitter.com/benjonescricket/status/1172470684🍒943048704
It’s Smith vs England again!!!
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
Stunning way to finish the summer – watching one of the great sporting rivalries – Jofra Archer v Steve Smith.
— Jeremy Snape (@thesportingedge)
an unbelievable run of striking rich scores, new standards of class, excellen🃏ce , performance. Grit & determination the guiding mantra. Comparisons overflowing among pundits. the new champion has arrived. wd be pumped up fr sure. Unparallel performance.
— Chaitanya K Prasad (@Chatty111Prasad)
Steve Smith has hit 10 consꦅecutive scores of 50 against England in Test match cri🦂cket!
No one has ever hit as many🌸 in a row against a single opposition 🔥
What an amazing player he is 👏
— ICC (@ICC)
Not one score below his shirt number 👏👏👏
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
Most runs in 10 successive Ashes innings:
Steven Smith – 1251 runs (2017-2019)
Scores – 239, 76, 102*, 83, 144, 142, 92, 211, 82, 80Don Bradman – 1236 runs (1937-1946)
Scores – 212, 169, 51, 144*, 18, 102*, 103, 16, 187, 234Finally, SMITH beats BRADMAN!
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath)
No matter what happens now, Steve Smith will end this series with an average of at ♒least 100. Incredible.
— Sam Ferris (@samuelfez)
has redefined comebacks. Impossible is n꧙othing. But for that you need a different fibre.
Salute the mag𒈔nificent cricketer: breathtaking brilliance!
— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay)
