Head and Smith smack brilliant centuries to put Australia in driver’s seat on third day of 5th Ashes Test

Travis Head’s third century of the series and Steve Smith’s first guided Australia to a 134-run first-innings lead over England by stumps on the third day of the fifth and final Ashes test.

Head resumed Tuesday at 91 and was out for 163 from 166 balls, a masterful innings to follow his match-winning 123 in the second innings of the first test at Perth and his 170 in the second innings of the third test at Adelaide.

Smith was 129 not out at stumps, elevating a relatively disappointing series with the bat. His previous highest score in the series was 61 in the first innings at Adelaide.

The century was Smith’s 13th in Ashes tests, the 37th of his career and his fifth at the Sydney Cricket Ground. With it, he moved up to sixth on the all-time list of most test centuries.

At stumps, Australia was 518-7 in reply to England’s first innings of 384.

Beau Webster was unbeaten on 42 and had put on 81 runs with Smith for the eighth wicket, expanding Australia’s lead.

“It was a really nice day today with a couple of nice partnerships,” Smith said. “Hopefully, we can put a little partnership together, get up over a 200 lead and the wicket starts to play a few more tricks.

“I just love batting here, obviously it’s my home deck. I know the ground really well and when I get in here I really like batting here.”

While Head and Smith’s centuries elicited huge cheers and Head’s departure earned a standing ovation, the greatest cheers of the day were reserved for Usman Khawaja when he arrived at the crease in his 88th and final test for Australia. Khawaja will retire at the end of the series.

He made 17 from 49 balls at the ground where he made his test debut 15 years ago, and he departed also to a standing ovation. Khawaja is an Australian fan favorite for his dogged nature and, as a Pakistan-born Muslim, for his courage to discuss issues of race and belonging.

Head reached triple figures from 105 balls, becoming the first Australian opener since Matthew Hayden in 2002-03 to post three centuries in an Ashes series.

The 32-year-old left-hander reached the milestone with the 17th boundary of his innings.

His two previous centuries contributed heavily to Australia retaining the Ashes in 11 days of action. In Sydney, he’s helped the home team rebound after England’s drought-breaking win last week in the fourth test in Melbourne.

Head had a big reprieve when he was dropped on 121 by Will Jacks from Brydon Carse’s bowling. He hit a short ball out to mid-wicket where Jacks put down a regulation chance.

He slowed his run-rate for a while but then accelerated after nightwatchman Michael Neser (24) was caught behind off Brydon Carse, ending a 72-run third-wicket stand.

Head hit the first six of the innings and then surpassed 150 with another boundary to take him to 153 from 152 balls. His tally was up to 24 boundaries and a six by lunch on Day 3. When he was out for 163 in the second session, Australia was 288-4.

Smith then shared partnerships of 51 with Khawaja, 27 with Alex Carey (16) and 61 with Cameron Green, who threw away a good start and was out for 37 when he was caught trying to pull a short ball from Carse. Green’s single off Ben Stokes in the 94th over brought Australia level with England’s total, then Smith’s boundary in the same over took the home side into the lead.

Smith reached his century from 166 balls with 11 fours and a six.

He has always been hyperactive at the crease and hypersensitive to movement in the crowd even well away from the bowler’s arm. On Tuesday he was especially energetic, hopping, bouncing, gesturing, wandering away from the crease, turning somersaults as he evaded short-pitched balls and ending the day bedaubed in dirt from pitch.

At one point he asked Carse to turn his sunglasses around because the reflection was distracting.

“It just kind of happens when I’m out there and when I’m doing those things it means I’m in a good zone,” Smith said. “Hopefully, we can see a few more of them.”

Agencies