Nathan Lyon 'extremely grateful' for Steve Smith's record-setting slips catching

Steve Smith set a new Test cricket record for non-wicketkeeper fielders on October 11, 2026, claiming his 221st catch during day three of the first Test between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead, Durban. The milestone moved him past England's Joe Root, who had held the previous record of 220 catches.

The record-breaking moment arrived when Smith pouched a catch off Pat Cummins to dismiss David Bedingham. Earlier on the same day, Smith had already taken the catch of Temba Bavuma off Nathan Lyon's bowling. He went on to complete four catches across the day, also accounting for Kyle Verreynne and Anrich Nortje, underlining his enduring value in the slip cordon.

Smith's achievement places him well clear of the rest of the all-time list for non-wicketkeeper fielders in Tests. Rahul Dravid sits third with 210 catches, Mahela Jayawardene is fourth with 205, and Jacques Kallis is fifth with 200.

What did Nathan Lyon say about Smith's record?

Lyon has been among the primary beneficiaries of Smith's positioning in the slip cordon across their shared Test careers. Smith has taken 65 catches off Lyon's bowling, a figure that underlines how central their fielding partnership has been to Australia's success in the format.

"I'm extremely grateful for that. He's an incredible thinker of the game, but the way he premeditates for those types of catches, they're freakish," Lyon said, speaking after the day's play, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Lyon's remarks highlighted not just Smith's reflexes but his ability to read the game and anticipate where the ball will travel before it leaves the bat.

What did Lyon say about his partnership with Smith?

Lyon also reflected on the long-standing arrangement that has seen Smith stationed at first slip or leg slip for much of his Test career, a position that has allowed him to capitalise on Lyon's off-spin bowling. The two have operated in tandem across numerous home and away series over more than a decade.

"I've been very fortunate enough to have him standing that first slip or leg slip for pretty well the majority of my career," Lyon said.