Australia batsman Steve Smith continued his domination in red-ball cricket, notching up 26th Test ton during the second day’s play in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test against England at Old Trafford.

There was a lot of buzz surrounding around Smith’s return after being hit on the neck by a nasty Jofra Archer bouncer during the second Test at Lord’s. It was expected that the former Aussie skipper would be peppered by short pitch bowling on his comeback and this is what the English bowlers exactly did in Manchester.

However, Smith did prove his prowess by countering the short stuff as he finished with 211 to help Australia post 498/8 (declared) in the first innings. It was Smith’s third century in four innings of this Ashes series.

Addressing the press conference after stumps on Day 2, Smith said England pacers played into his hands at Old Trafford by bowling short balls at him as constantly looking to bowl bouncers softened the ball and helped him score runs later in the innings.

"I think and visualise before I play where people are likely to bowl to me and where I am likely to score and try to picture fields that are set and play things over in my mind, where I am going to get runs and how they are looking to get me out," Smith told reporters.

"Then out in the middle you have to adapt to whatever is thrown at you."

Smith, who now boasts a Test batting average of 64.64, also pointed out that English pacemen with the notable exception of Stuart Broad had over-done the short stuff.

"I said before the game that if they bowl a lot at my head then they're not bowling at my stumps and trying to get me out lbw and caught behind the wicket. For them to go as short as they did and as early as they did with the new-ball, softened that ball up and played into our hands," he explained.

The third double century of Smith's 67-Test career, all of which have come against England, was not chanceless. He got the first life on 65 when Jofra Archer dropped a caught and bowled chance and then Jack Leach over-stepped after dismissing him on 118.

"When I saw the foot over the line and (umpire) Kumar (Dharmasena) called me back I thought, 'How good is this! I get to keep on batting'. Obviously I had some luck and I made the most of it from there," Smith acknowledged.

(With AFP inputs)