'Take it to your grave': Ex-England quick says he can't forgive 'cheat' Steve Smith

No matter how imposing the mountain of runs scored by Steve Smith becomes, former England paceman Steve Harmison says the "cheat" will always be remembered for the Cape Town scandal.

Smith has been booed and jeered throughout the World Cup and Ashes.

Even at Old Trafford, where Smith backed up an imposing 211 with a quick-fire 82 that represented his lowest score of the series.

'STAGGERING’: Ricky Ponting slams England over 'unacceptable' act

Joe Root has opted against following the lead of Virat Kohli, who urged India's fans to stop giving Smith stick during the World Cup.

Harmison, who played 63 Tests - including all five games during the 2005 epic series - suggested it will be impossible for the run glutton to change anybody's opinion.

"I don't think you can forgive him," Harmison told talkSPORT.

"When you're known as a cheat - and he is, I'm not going to sugarcoat it, the three guys cheated - that's on your CV.

"You're marked and you take it to your grave.

"Whatever Steve Smith does, he'll always be remembered for what happened in South Africa."

Harmison added that is "something he's got to live with".

"I can't see anybody's opinion changing on Smith, Bancroft, or Warner. Because of what they've done, they've tarnished the game," he said.

Steve Waugh praises Smith

Reaction to Smith's remarkable efforts in England has otherwise been positive from pundits and past players, who have been in awe of the superstar's peerless presence at the crease.

Former Australia captain Steve Waugh, having watched the right-hander closely in recent weeks as the squad's mentor, has been stunned by how Smith has taken his game to another level upon return from a year-long ban.

"It's a phenomenal performance. It's monumental when you look back on it," Waugh said on the BBC.

"To be out of the game for so long, to have so much pressure and to do so well. It's almost incomprehensible what he's done.

"It'll go down in the history of the game as one of the great performances by an individual in a series."

Waugh, who played 168 Tests and 325 ODIs, can't recall any batsman being in such remarkable form.

"I obviously didn't see Don Bradman play, but I guess it's in a similar sort of vein," Waugh said.

"He just keeps scoring runs and it almost looks too easy. He's playing on a different level to everyone else."