It was a record-breaking innings that also paved the way for one of South Africa's most memorable Test wins
At the historic Lord's Cricket Ground, cricket history was made on this day in 2003. With an incredible double century, Graham Smith, the steadfast captain of South Africa, left his mark on the game's history. His 259 runs off 370 balls, laced with 34 fours, are still remembered as one of the greatest innings in Test history.
It was the start of the second Test in the five-match series against England. In the first Test, South Africa had already proven their mettle and was aiming to leave their imprint. With a determined expression on his face, Smith led from the front and entered the field. Although the contest was expected to be an exciting match, none saw coming the master class that was going to take place.
Smith started his inning carefully. With players like Darren Gough, Ashley Giles, Andrew Flintoff, Jimmy Anderson, and Steve Harmison, the English offence was extremely strong. Smith's tenacity nevertheless came through. Dropped at cover point early in his innings, he grabbed the opportunity and made England pay a heavy price for their miscalculation.
Smith found a reliable batting partner in Herschelle Gibbs. They scored 133 runs in the first inning together. Smith steadied the innings with a combination of solid defence and tasteful hitting, while Gibbs played his instinctively aggressive game. The pair established a strong base and the tone for the remainder of the inning.
Graeme Smith celebrates his historic 259-run innings at Lord's, which broke Don Bradman's record for the highest score by a visiting Test batter // Picture Courtesy – The Independent
Smith's confidence increased as the innings went on. He made an impact with every shot he took. His 259 broke the great Don Bradman's record for the highest score achieved by a visiting Test batter at Lord's. Just before noon on the third day, Smith inside-edged a drive from Anderson onto his stumps, but South Africa had already accumulated 513 for 3. His nine-and-a-half-hour innings required a great deal of focus and ability.
South Africa was able to declare with an impressive 682 for 6 thanks to Smith's extraordinary performance. The enormous figure represented a mountain that England could not climb. They had scored a pitiful 173 in their opening innings, with Makhaya Ntini taking five wickets. The sequel was bound to come.
England showed some fight as they managed to score 417 runs in their second inning. The harm, though, had already been done. With the support of Andrew Hall and Shaun Pollock, Ntini made sure that England was unable to pull off a stunning comeback. Ntini's match-winning ten-wicket haul was crucial to South Africa's victory by 92 runs an innings.
In the longest version of the game, Smith's 259 remains the second-highest innings by any batter at Lord's. The only score higher than that is Graham Gooch's triple hundred (333) against India. Under Smith's guidance, South Africa's triumph at Lord's was a major lift and helped them win the series 3-2.
Smith and Lord's romance continued after that. He added another century (107) to his tally in 2008, his second Test appearance at the stadium, solidifying his place in the annals of the game's finest openers. Even though he didn't have as much success at bat during his final visit in 2012, he helped his side win by an unprecedented 51 runs, catapulting them to the top of the Test rankings.
