DON Bradman, Herbert Sutcliffe, Jack Hobbs and Steve Smith.

At the 50-Test mark in his career, Australia’s captain stands among elite company.

THE 60-50 CLUB

Smith earned membership to one of Test cricket’s most exclusive clubs on Friday, as one of only four men to average more than 60 at the 50-Test mark in his career.

Out for 59 in his second innings, Smith will end his 50th Test with an average of 60.15.

He’s the only Australian aside from the Don — he averaged 99.85 at the 50 Test mark — to breathe such rarefied air.

The other two men in the club are Englishmen Sutcliffe (61.67) and Hobbs (61.28).

Smith (4752) has the second most runs of the four at the 50-Test mark, behind only Bradman (6790). Sutcliffe has 4255 runs to his name and Hobbs 4596.

This is how the members of the 60/50 club stacked up when they earned their membership:

Don Bradman — 6790 runs at 99.85, 28 centuries

Herbert Sutcliffe — 4255 runs at 61.67, 16 centuries

Jack Hobbs — 4596 runs at 61.28, 14 centuries

Steve Smith — 4752 runs at 60.15, 17 centuries

WATCH: Warner hammers second-fastest 50 ever

Steve Smith has an average of 60.15 after playing 50 Tests. Source: AAP

THIRD MOST RUNS AFTER 50 TESTS

As impressive as joining the 60/50 club is Smith’s standing among Test cricket’s all-time leading run scorers through 50 Tests.

Smith trails only Bradman and Indian icon Sunil Gavaskar for most runs scored upon reaching the half century of Test match appearances.

At the time of his dismissal for 59 at the SCG on Friday, Smith’s career tally stood an incredible 4,752 runs at 60.15.

That put him comfortably ahead of the revered English duo of Leonard Hutton (4,682 runs) and Jack Hobbs (4,596 runs) on the list of run-scorers after 50 Tests.

These are the leading run-scorers after 50 Tests:

Don Bradman — 6,790 runs at 99.85

Sunil Gavaskar — 4,947 runs at 57.52

Steve Smith — 4,752 runs at 60.15

Leonard Hutton — 4,682 runs at 59.27

Jack Hobbs — 4,596 runs at 61.28

Matthew Hayden — 4,488 runs at 58.29

David Warner — 4,467 runs at 51.34

BEST. AVERAGE. EVER.

Smith is the only batsman in history to average in excess of 60 with a minimum of 90 Test innings.

Smith’s average now stands at 60.15 after the completion of his 92nd Test innings at the SCG on Friday.

That places him more than a full average point clear of England’s Ken Barrington and Walter Hammond and West Indies great Garfield Sobers.

The holder of pretty much every other batting record in Test cricket, Bradman, played 80 innings through his 52 Test career.

These are the best Test averages (minimum 90 innings):

Steve Smith — 60.15 (92 innings)

Ken Barrington — 58.67 (131 innings)

Walter Hammond — 58.45 (140 innings)

Garfield Sobers — 57.78 (160 innings)

Kumar Sangakkara — 57.40 (233 innings)

CENTURY MACHINE

EVEN more significantly, Smith didn’t start out as a batsman and took 12 Tests to notch his first Test ton.

From a spin-bowling all-rounder to here.

He’s since turned into a run machine and plundered 17 centuries as he soared into the argument of the best since Bradman.

In fact, only Sunil Gavaskar (20) and Bradman (28) had more centuries at the 50-Test mark, with Smith tied at third-place alongside Matthew Hayden.

These are the players with the most centuries in their first 50 Tests:

Don Bradman — 28

Sunil Gavaskar — 20

Steve Smith, Matthew Hayden — 17

Neil Harvey, Kevin Pietersen, Herbert Sutcliffe, David Warner — 16

Denis Compton, Greg Chappell, Viv Richards, Garfield Sobers, Jack Hobbs, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson — 14