Steve Smith is on course to enjoy one of most productive series by any batsman in Test history after he marked his return to Ashes action with a double hundred at Old Trafford. 30-year-old's 211 was centerpiece of Australia's 497-8 declared on second day of fourth Test. It was his third century in four innings this series following scores of 144 and 142 in opener at Edgbaston -- Smith's first Test since completing a 12-month ball-tampering ban. Steve Smith had a few lucky chances as he was dropped on slips by Jason Roy and survived a dismissal by Jack Leach after decision was overturned by third-umpire as he had overstepped crease. 

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All hail Test legend Steve Smith

If those hundreds erased doubts about wher he would be same stellar batsman after traumatic events during a Test in Cape Town that led to his being stripped of Australia captaincy and a lengthy suspension, Thursday's innings put to rest fears of any lingering ill-effects after he was concussed by a Jofra Archer bouncer. That blow to his n unprotected neck -- he is w batting with a 'stem guard' -- during drawn second Test at Lord's saw Smith ruled out of England's dramatic one-wicket win at Headingley that leveled this Ashes at 1-1 with two to play. Even after retiring hurt having been felled by Archer, Smith still came back out to make 92 -- his lowest score of a series where he has w scored 589 runs at a colossal aver of 147.25. most runs ever made by an individual in a Test series is 974 compiled by Australia's Don Bradman, widely regarded as format's greatest batsman, during five matches of 1930 Ashes in England.

Vivian Richards holds corresponding record for four Tests, posting 829 runs during West Indies 3-0 win in England in 1976 where 'Master Blaster' missed one fixture out of five through illness. Both those marks may be beyond Smith. But if Australia do retain urn -- and y were well-placed at close with England 23-1, a deficit of 474  -- this will undoubtedly be 'Smith's Ashes'. Smith is regarded as best "problem solver" in cricket today by Australia coach Justin Langer, himself a former Test batsman.

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Steve Smith makes smart adjustments

That quality, as well as his urthodox shuffle across crease, was evident as Smith took advant of an unusually placid Old Trafford pitch. "I think and visualize before I play where people are likely to bowl to me and where I am likely to score and try to picture fields that are set and play things over in my mind, where I am going to get runs and how y are looking to get me out," Smith told reporters after stumps. "n out in middle, you have to adapt to whatever is thrown at you." England, inevitably, after Lord's, repeatedly tested Smith out with bouncer. But Smith, whose career Test batting aver of 64.64 is second only to Bradman's 99.94, reckoned England's quicks, with table exception of Stuart Broad, had over-done short stuff.

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"I said before game that if y bowl a lot at my head n y're t bowling at my stumps and trying to get me out lbw and caught behind wicket," he explained. "For m to go as short as y did and as early as y did with new-ball, softened that ball up and played into our hands."  third double century of Smith's 67-Test career, all of which have come against England, was t chanceless. Archer dropped a caught and bowled chance when Smith was on 65 and he had made 118 when he nicked Jack Leach to slip only to be reprieved when a third umpire review revealed left-arm spinner had bowled a -ball. "When I saw foot over line and (umpire) Kumar (Dharmasena) called me back I thought, 'How good is this! I get to keep on batting'. Obviously I had some luck and I made most of it from re." This innings also saw Smith extend his own record with an eighth successive Ashes fifty, but he was adamant in insisting: "It's never easy. "You're playing international cricket against some quality bowlers. I'll never say it's easy." 

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