Smith makes up for lost time as extraordinary Ashes series reaches new heights

More Steve Smith heroics have helped Australia take control of the Fourth Test at Old Trafford , declaring at 8-497 before England ended day two at 1-23.

Smith made up for missing the previous Test with a double ton, notching up a whopping 211 runs before being dismissed reverse-sweeping Joe Root.

It was Smith’s third double century in Tests, with all three of those innings have come against England.

Smith’s innings appeared to have earlier come to an end on 118 after he was caught at slip, only for replays to show spinner Jack Leach overstepped.

His partnership with captain Tim Paine (58) of 145 runs is the biggest partnership of the series thus far.

Mitchell Starc (54 not out from 54 balls) was also formidable with the bat in his return to the team.

In response, England lost opener Joe Denly for 4 thanks to a brilliant Matthew Wade catch of Pat Cummins’s bowling.

(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)