Overview
- Steve Smith finished the day with 223 Test catches to become the all-time leader among non-wicketkeepers, surpassing previous figures cited for Joe Root and other top slip fielders.
- Smith took four catches in the match to dismiss Temba Bavuma, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne and Anrich Nortje, with two grabs produced from reverse-sweep attempts and one notable one-handed take.
- Teammate Nathan Lyon praised Smith for his premeditation and called him an 'incredible thinker of the game,' while South Africa batting coach Ashwell Prince described one of the catches as 'unbelievable' and 'special.'
- Those catches directly helped Australia bowl South Africa for 284 in reply to Australia’s 390, and Australia closed the day 33/0 with a lead of 139, leaving the visitors in a strong position.
- The milestone highlights Smith’s dual value as a world-class batter and elite slip fielder, underlined by a long-running catching partnership with Lyon and comparisons to past leading catchers in Test history.