Smith has Poms shaking heads

YOU could just tell it in their faces. The way they stood. Where they put their hands — often on their hips.

England have simply run out of ideas where to bowl to Steve Smith. Short pitched? No they don’t have the pace. Wide? No, he either leaves them or belts them? Straight? No. He’s dynamite through the leg side. Full. Ouch. Don’t even try it. Spin? Pardon me? He eats it for breakfast.

The amazing Smith continued his rampant journey in a spacecraft that has taken him to a stratosphere where only Planet Don (Bradman) is floating and the likes of Greg Chappell and Ricky Ponting are in his slipstream.

Smith had that “I mean business’’ look about him as soon as he took the crease. En- gland had taken two quick wickets and his body language from the instant he walked through the gate radiated the vibe, “I will not be dominated ... back in your box England’’. He looked several classes above any other Australian batsmen.

His numbers are almost beyond belief. For perspective you have to line him up beside champions. His record says he is our best since Bradman.

If he can score eight runs today his 22nd Test century will give him the same number of tons as two of the greatest Ashes batsmen — Geoffrey Boycott and Wally Hammond.

The difference is Boycott, who is at the WACA commentating, played 49 more Tests than Smith and Hammond 26 more. Extraordinary.

If Smith gets his ton he will be just two shy of the great Viv Richards, who played 121 Tests to Smith’s 59.