{"id":8144,"date":"2026-10-12T08:34:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T08:34:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8144"},"modified":"2026-10-12T08:34:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T08:34:31","slug":"steve-smith-breaks-test-fielding-record-as-australia-dominate-south-africa-cricket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=8144","title":{"rendered":"Steve Smith breaks Test fielding record as Australia dominate South Africa | Cricket"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>1 Minute, 53 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Smith moves to 223 career catches, a record for fielders, as Australia bowl out South Africa for 284 in reply to 390.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

Published On 12 Oct 2026<\/span>12 Oct 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Steve Smith has broken the Test record for the most career catches by a fielder as Australia have played themselves into a strong position on the third day of the first Test against hosts South Africa.<\/p>\n

Smith held four catches on Sunday, taking his total to 223, as South Africa were bowled out for 284 in reply to Australia\u2019s first innings of 390 at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.<\/p>\n

Nic Maddinson (17 not out) and Travis Head (10 not out) added 33 runs off just 5.4 overs to stretch Australia\u2019s overall lead to 139 before bad light ended play for the third day in a row.<\/p>\n

Maddinson, who laboured to a 33-ball duck in the first innings, hit two fours off Marco Jansen in the first over of the second innings and added a six off Wiaan Mulder before play was called off.<\/p>\n

Australia\u2019s bowlers applied relentless pressure on an easy-paced pitch and a succession of South African batsmen contributed to their own dismissals by playing poor shots.<\/p>\n

Six Protea batters reached 30, but David Bedingham\u2019s 49 was the top score.<\/p>\n

Australian captain Pat Cummins took three for 54, and Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon claimed two wickets each as Australia\u2019s long-serving bowling quartet combined with customary efficiency.<\/p>\n

Smith special in the slips<\/h2>\n

Smith started the day on 219 catches, one behind Joe Root of England.<\/p>\n

He equalled the record when he caught Temba Bavuma. Smith, playing in his 126th Test, broke the record when he lunged to his left from second slip to hold a sharp edge from Bedingham off Cummins.<\/p>\n

Smith was in the action again with a spectacular catch to dismiss Verreynne, again anticipating well at slip as the South African wicketkeeper made good contact with a reverse sweep that Smith held in an outstretched right hand.<\/p>\n

His fourth catch was from an edge to slip by last man Anrich Nortje off the bowling of Beau Webster.<\/p>\n

Smith\u2019s career haul of 223 catches exceeds the total of all but 11 specialist wicketkeepers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n \n
\n \n \"Happy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Happy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sad\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sad <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Excited\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Excited <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sleepy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sleepy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Angry\"\n <\/a>\n
Angry<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Surprise\"\n <\/a>\n
Surprise<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Smith moves to 223 career catches, a record for fielders, as Australia bowl out South Africa for 284 in reply to 390. Published On 12 Oct 202612 Oct 2026 Steve Smith has broken the Test record for the most career catches by a fielder as Australia have played themselves into a strong position on the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t