Australia’s captain Steve Smith celebrates reaching his century on day three of the fifth Ashes test. Photo / AFP
Run-machine Travis Head hit a swashbuckling 163 and Steve Smith a composed unbeaten 129 as Australia built a 134-run lead over England to seize control on day three of the fifth and final Ashes test on Tuesday.
It was destructive opener Head’s third ton of the series, to go with the phenomenal match-winning 123 he made in Perth and 170 at Adelaide.
Smith was equally impressive, with his first hundred of the series driving the hosts to 518-7 by stumps at a packed Sydney Cricket Ground in reply to England’s 384.
Beau Webster was alongside him on 42 at the close.
Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory at the previous test in Melbourne.
“Nice batting wicket out there. Nice to start my innings on the back of a great innings from Travis Head,” Smith told Fox Sports.
“When you’re out there with him they forget about you and I was able to get into my work. Worked out well today.”
Head brought up three figures off just 105 balls and seemed destined to score 200.
But he came undone in the third over after lunch by the part-time spin of Jacob Bethell, who was bowling for the first time in the series.
In his second over, Bethell trapped the 32-year-old lbw attempting a sweep shot to end a magnificent knock.
Skipper Smith treated Bethell with contempt, launching him for a big six on his way to a 37th test hundred.
It was Smith’s 13th Ashes century to move past England legend Jack Hobbs. Only Donald Bradman with 19 has more.
Usman Khawaja, in his 88th and last test after announcing his retirement, fell lbw to Brydon Carse for 17 while Alex Carey made 16 before Josh Tongue enticed an edge.
Nightwatchman Michael Neser made 24 and Cameron Green 37.
“This is proper test cricket now in terms of the graft and the stuff that you have to put in,” said Bethell, as the tourists attempt to finish a dismal series on a high.
“Yeah, it was a tough day, but you know, that’s what it’s about. We’ve got to come out tomorrow, take those three wickets early on and get back in again.”
Head resumed on 91 and Neser on one after Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48) were out on Monday.
Head clattered an early midwicket boundary off Ben Stokes and reached three figures with his 17th four, crunched through the covers from Tongue, windmilling his bat in celebration.
It was his 12th century and first in Sydney to cement his reputation as one of the game’s most versatile batsmen.
Head only moved to the top of the order in the second innings of the first test in Perth due to Khawaja’s back injury, but he has made the position his own.
With his hundred secure, he banged three straight fours off Matthew Potts then had a massive letoff on 121 when he pulled Carse and Will Jacks dropped a sitter near the ropes.
Neser ably stuck around for 90 balls to foil England, who wasted their last two reviews on him.
Batting like a top-order batsman, he smacked four boundaries before getting a thin edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Carse.
Smith, on 12, was dropped at leg slip by Zak Crawley but safely made it to lunch and passed 50 with a drive down the ground.
When Khawaja departed, Carey produced a series of textbook strokes before being dismissed in similar fashion to his last two tests.
Unruffled, Smith slammed Stokes to the ropes for four to put Australia in the lead for the first time and, steely eyed, kept going to yet another stylish century.
All-rounder Green came into the test under increasing pressure after failing to fire with either bat or ball through the series, with his automatic selection being questioned.
He produced a glorious cover drive and a big six to show flashes of what he can do.
But he then needlessly spooned Carse to Ben Duckett in the deep to throw away his wicket.
– AFP