If not for the world's No.1 batsman,it could have been England regaining the urn with victory in the fourth Test.

At Edgbaston,Smith hauled Australia out of the furnace with a century in the first innings,then took the game away from England with his hundred in the second. Here,all but 140 of Australia's runs came with Smith in the middle.

"Look at the Test matches and there have been times when one guy has made a difference and that has probably cost us the urn this time around,"England captain Joe Root said.

"Every batter,bar Steve Smith,has been under pressure. It's been one of those summers where batting has been hard.

"Steve Smith has been hard work to get out. Ultimately,he was the difference this Test match."

After Jofra Archer's frightful spell at Lord's,England had come into the game believing they had the weapons to bring Smith down.

When told Smith had pointed out Archer did not dismiss him,the Test rookie was quick to shoot back that he could not get out someone who was not there. But as he would learn,he could not get Smith out when he was there either.

The scorebook says Smith has been out five times this series but what they do not show is that on three occasions he gave himself up for the good of the team.

Captain Tim Paine delivered a warning that the man averaging 134 this series andwho has been compared to the greatest of them all in Don Bradman is yet to reach his peak. Watch out Pakistan and New Zealand,whom Australia play at home this summer.

"Anyone who's watched him bat knows the talent,hunger and skill that he has got. People don't see how driven he is and how he trains,eats and sleeps batting,"Paine said.

"He is just a genius and I never had any doubt he would come back and be the player he was.

"The scary thing is he's getting better. I don't know where it is going to stop but we are enjoying being on the ride,that is for sure."