ASHES 2019: "The best player I have ever seen", Tim Paine hails Steve Smith 

Smith struck scores of 211 and 82 in Australia's Ashes retaining victory at Old Trafford.

Steve Smith | Getty

Tim Paine heaped effusive praise on Steve Smith after he contributed majorly towards helping Australia retain the prestigious Ashes urn via a brilliant win over England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford this Sunday (September 8). 

"Steve is the best player I have ever seen. He showed that again in this Test match. He knows the game so well and reads it so well," Paine said on Smith, who was awarded "Player-of-the-Match" for scores of 211 and 82 in Australia's magnificent 185-run win. 

The right-hand batsman has perfectly redeemed himself on comeback from 12-month ban following involvement in last year's ball-tampering incident. 

The epic performance in Manchester also came after he missed the last Test at Headingley due to concussion having piled on scores of 144, 142 and 92 in his previous three innings of this series. 

"I'm not sure I have ever played better," Smith himself told Sky Sports. "I have enjoyed my time in the middle. I have come back fresh from a year out, but relaxed and chilled out. I want to be the one in the middle doing my job for the team as I don't particularly enjoy watching cricket."

Even head coach Justin Langer acknowledged Smith's marathon effort saying: "We've got the best fast bowler in the world (Pat Cummins) and the best Test batsman in the world."

"I thought Virat Kohli was the best batsman I've ever seen because of the way he plays in all forms, but Steve Smith... That's another level."

"He's a great problem-solver. His hunger for the game, I've never seen anything like it."

(Inputs from AFP)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 09 Sep, 2019

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