Steve Smith powers Australia to 389 with a scintillating ton

With some of the most exquisite bit of batting on display, Steve Smith toyed with the Indian bowlers to gallop to his second consecutive hundred and power Australia to 389/4 from 50 overs in the second one-day international in Sydney on Sunday.

Following up his 105 off 66 balls in Friday’s first ODI victory, Smith amassed a dominant 104 off 64 balls as the Indians were left without any answers to deaccelerate the Australian innings on a slow-paced Sydney Cricket Ground pitch in searing conditions.

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The mammoth total has put pressure on Virat Kohli’s India to run down the daunting target under lights to prevent Australia from winning the three-match series ahead of Wednesday’s final game in Canberra.

India have lost their last four ODIs and are bidding to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat for the first time since January 2016.

After electing to bat first, Australia subjected the tourists to another of toil under a hot sun. 

All five of the Kangaroos’ top-order batters crossed the 50-run-mark with ease. David Warner hit 83 off 77 balls, Finch 60 off 69, Marnus Labuschagne 70 off 60 and Glenn Maxwell bludgeoned a crowd-pleasing unbeaten 63 from 29 balls.

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Smith put on a batting clinic with his full array of quirky shot-making as he raced to triple figures laced with 14 fours and two sixes.

He fell two balls later stretching for a wide slower delivery off Hardik Pandya and getting a thick edge to Mohammed Shami at third man.