Steve Smith double century has solidified his legacy as Test batting legend

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 now scored 589 runs at a colossal average of 147.25.

Steve Smith is on course to enjoy one of the most productive series by any batsman in Test history after he marked his return to Ashes action with a double hundred at Old Trafford.

The 30-year-old's 211 was the centrepiece of Australia's 497-8 declared on the second day of the fourth Test.

It was his third century in four innings this series following scores of 144 and 142 in the opener at Edgbaston -- Smith's first Test since completing a 12-month ball-tampering ban.

If those hundreds erased doubts about whether he would be the same stellar batsman after the traumatic events during a Test in Cape Town that led to his being stripped of the 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 then unprotected neck -- he is now batting with a 'stem guard' -- during the drawn second Test at Lord's saw Smith ruled out of England's dramatic one-wicket win at Headingley that levelled 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 now scored 589 runs at a colossal average of 147.25.

The most runs ever made by an individual in a Test series is the 974 compiled by Australia's Don Bradman, widely regarded as the format's greatest batsman, during the five matches of the 1930 Ashes in England.

Vivian Richards holds the corresponding record for four Tests, posting 829 runs during West Indies 3-0 win in England in 1976 where the 'Master Blaster' missed one fixture out of five through illness.

Both those marks may be beyond Smith.

But if Australia do retain the urn -- and they were well-placed at the close with England 23-1, a deficit of 474 -- this will undoubtedly be 'Smith's Ashes'.

Business Standard

Cricket's 'Big Three' still dominating the game both on and off the field

India, Australia and England have not only dominated the game but also have been able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals.

Business Standard : They may have each had some slip-ups along the way, but it is perhaps no surprise that cricket's three wealthiest nations -- England, India and Australia -- are in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The tournament, which will generate some 400 million pounds ($500 million) in broadcast revenues alone, is key in funding the International Cricket Council's work in developing the sport.

Yet most of the money still finds its way to cricket's richest countries.

In the 2016-23 broadcasting cycle, of which the 2019 and 2023 World Cup are the key events, some 93 "associate" or junior cricket nations stand to receive 175 million pounds from the ICC, whereas India will get 320 million pounds alone.

While the 'Big Three' are able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals as well, teams based in poorer local economies such as South Africa and the West Indies are struggling to compete.

They face the constant threat of players quitting international cricket to pursue more lucrative careers in one of the numerous Twenty20 franchise competitions that have sprung up following the huge success of the Indian Premier League.

When promising South Africa fast bowler Duanne Olivier announced he was halting his Proteas career to join English county side Yorkshire, it prompted West Indies captain Jason Holder to call in February for the ICC to introduce a minimum wage for international cricket.

- 'Biggest issue' -

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, speaking last week before his side ended their World Cup campaign in the group stage, said: "Looking at the one-day side, your players that will move on from the Proteas would potentially move on to the T20 circuit.

"That will become the biggest issue for us to try and stay away from for all players. And that's including myself." New Zealand, the fourth-placed qualifier for the semi-finals, were quicker than most to adapt the realities of the modern game by allowing top players to feature in the IPL, although they were helped by the lack of a clash with their domestic season.