Smith truly free from T20 shackles with powerful BBL ton

Smith lights up Coffs with sublime BBL ton

After being left out of all bar one game during last year’s T20 World Cup, Steve Smith has reminded Australian selectors of the power he possesses with a sensational Big Bash century for the Sydney Sixers.

While the boundaries in Coffs Harbour may have been small, especially square, it mattered little as the Australian superstar cleared them with ease on his way to a 56-ball century against the Adelaide Strikers.

It was his first KFC BBL hundred and second overall in the T20 format, but he wouldn’t face another delivery as he was run out in the following over after a mix up with Sixers skipper Moises Henriques coming back for a second run.

Smith reaches maiden BBL ton with incredible six

Smith brought up his century with an incredible slog sweep six over square leg off Strikers off-spinner Ben Manenti that landed a dozen people deep in a sold-out Coffs Harbour crowd of 9576 – one of his seven hits to clear the fence in his 101 from 56 balls.

It equalled his highest T20 score, with his first century (101 from 54) coming almost seven years prior for Rising Pune Supergiants in the 2016 Indian Premier League.

He also broke a 12-year hoodoo for the Sydney Sixers, becoming the first men’s centurion for the club after seven previous scores in the nineties.

Smith led the Sixers to a mammoth total of 5-203 – their fourth highest of all-time – and said following his knock that he was just happy to play his role for the team.

“It’s not about me, it’s about the team,” he told the Fox Cricket broadcast.

“It was a nice wicket so I was just pleased to be able to get us off to a nice start and post a decent total.

Smith cashes in on good fortune after bails don’t fall off

“I just slipped over a bit, that happens. It’s unfortunate when you’re on 100 to get out run out when it’s almost free hit time pretty much.

“So that was disappointing, I would have liked to get a couple more at the end but wasn’t to be.”

Despite his almost unrivalled productivity (30 Test centuries and 12 ODI centuries) in the two longer formats, the T20 format has proved his most challenging format where he averages 20 fewer per innings at international level compared to the 50-over format and 35 fewer than Tests.

He was part of Australia’s drought-breaking T20 World Cup triumph in the UAE in November 2021, but lost his place to Hurricanes power-hitter Tim David for the global showpiece on home soil 12 months later.

Despite the recent setbacks, Smith said he hadn’t given much thought to his T20 international future after playing just the final game of Australia’s World Cup campaign against Afghanistan.

“There’s not a great deal of T20 internationals, so for me, Test and one-day cricket are the huge priorities with what’s coming up and then we’ll wait and see,” Smith said last week ahead of his return for the Sixers.

“I don’t want to look too far ahead … (but) I’m certainly excited to be back here with the Sixers.

“I really love playing with these guys, I’ve been involved with the Sixers since the first Big Bash so it’s great to be back with a lot of familiar faces.”

But no doubt, his two returns of 36 (27) and 101 in his new role at the top of the order has given Australian selectors plenty to ponder.