Five innings in 2019 that reaffirmed the quality of Test cricket

#3 Steve Smith - 144 & 142 vs England at Edgbaston

Smith scored twin centuries in Ashes opener

Australia took on England at Edgbaston in the first Ashes Test. Having chosen to bat first, Australia had a shocking start, as they lost both their openers in the eight over. With Edgbaston crowd booing, Steve Smith walked in to bat after serving a one-year ban.

He was at his usual best as he started neutralizing the new ball. Despite the bowlers asking too many questions, Smith faced them with ease. But wickets kept tumbling at the other end and the Aussies were tottering at 122-8. With Peter Siddle resisting bravely with him, the 30-year-old mixed caution with aggression to take the total past 200.

The former captain went berserk at the fall of the ninth wicket to bring up his 24th Test hundred. His 144 took Aussies to 284. Rory Burns' 133 helped England take a substantial lead of 90. With the openers failing once again, Smith was at the crease by 10th over.

The calm-headed Smith was up for the task as he toiled with the England bowlers. Joe Root tried to unsettle him with unusual field placements. But the Australian was unperturbed as he scored a well-compiled 142 to set a target of 398.

England lost the match by 251 runs to concede a 1-0 lead. Smith's twin centuries were masterful because they came in his comeback Test in the hostile conditions of an Ashes opener.