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"You bloody bewdy" Steve Smith

Was this Steve Smith's best Test century? AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD
Expert
19th December, 2014
1

When Australian golfer Wayne Grady won the 1990 USPGA Championship at Shoal Creek, Alabama, the first words he said on television were “You bloody bewdy”.

Typically classic ‘Grades’.

When Steve Smith cracked his century yesterday at the Gabba on his Test debut as skipper, “You bloody bewdy” immediately sprung to mind, with apologies to Grades.

His 133 took his 2014 Test runs to 912 at 82.90, that includes four tons, and four half-centuries.

Steve Smith is the seventh most successful Test batsman in the world this year, with David Warner the only Aussie in front of him, at the moment in fourth spot, with 1090 runs at 72.66, with six Test tons this year, and three half-centuries.

But back to the new skipper.

Even Don Bradman, the greatest batsman of all-time, couldn’t make a ton on his Test captaincy debut in 1936 against England at the Gabba, with 38 and a duck.

Since The Don there have been 24 Australian captains, but only Lindsay Hassett, Greg Chappell and Graham Yallop have been centurions on their Test captaincy debuts.

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Until Steve Smith on Friday.

Here’s the full list in chronological order.

Don Bradman led Australia in 24 Tests, scoring 38 and a duck on his Test captaincy debut against England at the Gabba in December 1936. Bill Brown led Australia just once against New Zealand at Wellington in March 1946, scoring 67.

Lindsay Hassett captained Australia 24 times, on debut he scored 112 against South Africa at Ellis Park in December 1949. Arthur Morris led Australia in two Tests, scoring 1 and 45 on debut at Adelaide in December 1951.

Ian Johnson captained Australia 17 times, scoring 24* against England on debut at the Gabba in November 1954. Ray Lindwall led Australia once, scoring 48* at Bombay against India in October 1956.

Ian Craig, Australia’s youngest captain, was in charge for five Tests, scoring 14 and 17 on debut against South Africa at New Wanderers, Johannesburg in December 1957.

Richie Benaud captained Australia 28 times, scoring 16 at the Gabba against England in December 1958. Neil Harvey led Australia once, scoring 27 and 4 against England at Lords on debut in June 1961.

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Bobby Simpson captained Australia 39 times, scoring 58 and 31 on debut against South Africa at the SCG in January 1964. Brian Booth led Australia twice, scoring 16 on debut against England at the Gabba in December 1965.

Bill Lawry captained Australia 25 times, scoring 64 and 45 at the Gabba in January 1968. Barry Jarman led in one Test, scoring 10 and 4 at Headingley in July 1968.

Ian Chappell captained Australia in 30 Tests, with 25 and 6 on debut against England at the SCG in February 1971. His brother Greg led Australia in 48 Tests, and the only one to score a ton on debut in both digs – 123 and 109* – against the Windies at the Gabba in December 1975.

Graham Yallop captained Australia in seven Tests, with 1 and 102 on debut at the Gabba against England in December 1978. Kim Hughes was in charge for 28 Tests, scoring nine at the WACA against Pakistan in March 1979.

Allan Border led Australia for a record 93 times, scoring 21 and 18 against the Windies at Adelaide in December 1984. Mark Taylor captained Australia 50 times, with 69 on debut agaianst Pakistan at the Gabba in November 1995.

Steve Waugh was in charge for 57 Tests, with 14 and a duck on debut against the Windies at Port of Spain in March 1999. Adam Gilchrist led in six Tests, scoring 9 and 10* against the Windies in Adelaide in December 2000.

Ricky Ponting captained Australia 77 times, with 21 and 28 on debut against Sri Lanka at Galle in March 2004. Michael Clarke has led Australia 37 times, scoring 4 and 41 against England at the SCG in January 2011.

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Shane Watson was captain once against India at Delhi, scoring 17 and 5 in March 2013. And Steve Smith’s 133 at the Gabba on captaincy debut, with a second dig to come.

He’s a breath of fresh air.

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