Australia’s Travis Head scored his third century of the Ashes collection within the fifth Check at Sydney. Photograph: AFP
SYDNEY:
Run-machine Travis Head hit a swashbuckling 163 and Steve Smith a composed unbeaten 129 as Australia constructed a 134-run lead over England to grab management on day three of the fifth and closing Ashes Check on Tuesday.
It was harmful opener Head’s third ton of the collection, to go together with the exceptional match-winning 123 he made in Perth and 170 at Adelaide.
Smith was equally spectacular, together with his first hundred of the collection driving the hosts to 518-7 by stumps at a packed Sydney Cricket Floor in reply to England’s 384.
Beau Webster was alongside him on 42 on the shut.
Australia lead the collection 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England determined for an additional morale-boosting win after victory on the earlier Check in Melbourne.
“Good batting wicket on the market. Good to begin my innings on the again of an important innings from Travis Head,” Smith informed Fox Sports activities.
“If you’re on the market with him they overlook about you and I used to be capable of get into my work. Labored out properly immediately.”
Head introduced up three figures off simply 105 balls and appeared destined to attain 200.
However he got here undone within the third over after lunch by the part-time spin of Jacob Bethell, who was bowling for the primary time within the collection.
In his second over, Bethell trapped the 32-year-old lbw trying a sweep shot to finish an impressive knock.
Skipper Smith handled Bethell with contempt, launching him for an enormous six on his strategy to a thirty seventh Check hundred.
It was Smith’s thirteenth Ashes century to maneuver previous England legend Jack Hobbs. Solely Donald Bradman with 19 has extra.
Usman Khawaja, in his 88th and final Check after asserting his retirement, fell lbw to Brydon Carse for 17 whereas Alex Carey made 16 earlier than Josh Tongue enticed an edge.
Nightwatchman Michael Neser made 24 and Cameron Inexperienced 37.
Dropped catches
Head resumed on 91 and Neser on one after Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48) have been out on Monday.
Head clattered an early midwicket boundary off Ben Stokes and reached three figures together with his seventeenth 4, crunched via the covers from Tongue, windmilling his bat in celebration.
It was his twelfth century and first in Sydney to cement his repute as one of many sport’s most versatile batsmen.
Head solely moved to the highest of the order within the second innings of the primary Check in Perth on account of Khawaja’s again damage, however he has made the place his personal.
Together with his hundred safe, he banged three straight fours off Matthew Potts then had a large let-off on 121 when he pulled Carse and Will Jacks dropped a sitter close to the ropes.
Neser ably caught round for 90 balls to foil England, who wasted their final two evaluations on him.
Batting like a top-order batsman, he smacked 4 boundaries earlier than getting a skinny edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Carse.
Smith, on 12, was dropped at leg slip by Zak Crawley however safely made it to lunch and handed 50 with a drive down the bottom.
When Khawaja departed, Carey produced a collection of textbook strokes earlier than being dismissed in related trend to his final two Checks.
Unruffled, Smith slammed Stokes to the ropes for 4 to place Australia within the lead for the primary time and, steely eyed, stored going to yet one more fashionable century.
All-rounder Inexperienced got here into the Check beneath rising strain after failing to fireplace with both bat or ball via the collection, together with his computerized choice being questioned.
He produced a wonderful cowl drive and an enormous six to point out flashes of what he can do.
However he then needlessly spooned Carse to Ben Duckett within the deep to throw away his wicket.
