Steve Smith doesn’t need a special occasion to perform at Lord’s but the World Test Championship 2025 Final gives him one anyway.
As Australia prepare to face South Africa in a five-day showdown at the "Home of Cricket" from June 11, Smith has once again spoken about his deep affection for the iconic ground. For him, Lord’s is a stage filled with history, challenges and personal joy.
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What makes Lord’s so special for Smith?
Among all overseas grounds, Lord’s stands second only to Smith's beloved Sydney Cricket Ground, "I think it is probably, outside of Sydney, my favourite ground to play at.”
Smith recently shared how the unique feel of Lord’s brings out something extra in him. He explained how the slope makes batting tricky at the start, but once adjusted, it’s a place where runs can flow quickly.
"The history, the surface itself. It always takes a few balls just to get used to that slope. One end, you feel like you are standing really tall, the other end, you feel like you are falling over a little bit. But the ball races away, both up the hill and down the hill," he added.
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There’s a real chance this might be the final time Smith appears in whites at Lord’s. With Australia’s future Test tours not immediately including England, Smith may not get another shot at playing a red-ball game here.
Can Steve Smith break a historic Lord’s record?
Smith has a chance to become the highest run-scorer among visiting batters in Test matches at Lord’s. He currently sits at fourth on the list with 525 runs from 9 innings, including two centuries and two fifties.
He needs just 51 more runs to climb past Warren Bardsley, who holds the current record with 575. Behind Bardsley are legends like Gary Sobers (571) and Don Bradman (551).
Smith’s last Test at Lord’s was during the Ashes 2023, where he struck a fluent 110 in the first innings, guiding Australia to a 43-run win. He also scored a double century at the venue back in 2015.