Border, Waugh, Ponting: How Smith’s shock exit cancelled SCG 10,000 celebration

Australia’s first three scorers of 10,000 Test runs, Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, were to feature in a special presentation to Steve Smith had he not been dismissed just one short of the milestone at the SCG.

Border, Waugh and Ponting have all been present in Sydney this week, and were cued up twice in as many days to watch Smith join them in the most exclusive of Australian batting clubs before his two exits in a low scoring clash.

Steve Smith falls one short of 10,000 Test runs. Credit: Getty Images

Cricket Australia had organised for the legendary trio to share the moment with Smith at the 35-year-old’s home ground, but he was surprised by some extra bounce from Prasidh Krishna and glided a low catch to gully to be dismissed with 9999 career runs.

Border, the first to reach the mark for Australia in January 1993, had been on his way down to the boundary’s edge with Fox Cricket commentators in anticipation of Smith reaching the mark before lunch on day two.

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