MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Steve Smith’s stylish century, his 34th, powered Australia to a strong position against India at lunch Friday on the second day of the fourth test of the five-match series. Australia resumed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 311-6 and reached 454-7 at lunch, thanks to a 112-run stand between Smith (139 not out) and tailender Pat Cummins (49). Debutant teenager Sam Konstas (60), Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72) and Smith all made half-centuries in front of a crowd of over 87,242 on Thursday’s first day’s play.
Smith, who was 68 overnight, moved into the 90s in spectacular fashion with a six over fine leg off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah in the 11th over of the day. The 35-year-old Smith climbed to equal-seventh in test cricket with 34 centuries, reaching his hundred off 167 deliveries with a glorious cover drive to the boundary. Smith, who began the series with scores of 0, 17 and 2 in the first two tests, also hit 101 in the third in Brisbane.
Cummins and Smith crushed India’s hopes of an early breakthrough Friday with a century stand for the seventh wicket. Cummins was caught at deep cover off the bowling of spinner Ravindra Jadeja at 411-7. RELATED COVERAGE South Africa reaches 82-3 after Pakistan folds for 211 against pacers Paterson and Bosch in 1st test India veteran Kohli fined for bumping shoulders with Australia teen opener Konstas in Melbourne South Africa aims to seal its place in WTC final in test series against Pa.