Australia 518 for 7 (Head 163, Smith 129), lead England 384 (Root 160, Brook 84, Neser 4–60) by 134 runs*
Travis Head departed the SCG to a thunderous ovation after his latest demolition of England in this Ashes series. But the roars from the terraces grew even louder when Usman Khawaja walked to the crease in what could be his final Test match.
After Head’s belligerent 163 from 166 balls — his third century of a remarkable series — Khawaja, batting at No. 6, could not produce a fairytale innings against a flagging England attack under the Sydney sunshine.
In what may prove to be his final Test innings, Khawaja fell for 17 in an ungainly dismissal, missing a low full toss from Brydon Carse, and left the field to another warm round of applause.
Captain Steven Smith then stole the show for the remainder of day three with an unbeaten 129 from 205 balls, putting Australia in a commanding position as they chase a convincing 4–1 series victory.
Australia appear to have broken England’s spirit during an innings that has stretched to 124 overs. Their first-innings lead has ballooned to 134 runs and looks particularly significant, with uneven bounce becoming more pronounced and cracks set to widen amid warm Sydney weather.
Smith was not at his most fluent, but looked locked in from the outset, with his usual theatrics at the crease on full display. At one point, he even asked Carse at mid-off to place his sunglasses on the back of his hat to avoid the reflection.
He feasted on wayward England bowling and was particularly aggressive against spinners Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell. A 37th Test century — his 13th against England — almost felt inevitable as he ended a relatively lean series in style, kissing his helmet in celebration late in the day.
Smith moved into second place on the all-time Ashes run-scorers and century lists, with only Sir Donald Bradman ahead of him on both fronts.
His first home Ashes hundred since the 2017–18 series has tightened Australia’s grip on the match. They were aided by shabby bowling and fielding from England, who dropped four catches in the first session, including Smith on 12 when Zak Crawley spilled a chance at leg slip just before lunch.
The early part of the day was dominated by Head, who had fallen just short of a century in an elongated final session on day two but wasted little time reaching his milestone.
Resuming on 91, Head brought up his 12th Test hundred from just 105 balls, only 25 minutes into the day’s play, celebrating by placing his helmet atop the handle of his bat as he once again had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
The innings ended Head’s modest record at the SCG, as he became just the fifth player to score Test centuries at seven different Australian venues.
Head received strong support from Michael Neser, who was used wisely as the nightwatchman ahead of Scott Boland after the latter had filled the role in the previous Test.
Neser showed his batting credentials, having amassed more than 4,000 first-class runs with five centuries. He frustrated England with solid defence and the occasional boundary, grinding down the beleaguered tourists.
Head continued his rampant form from the previous afternoon, inflicting further punishment on hapless seamer Matthew Potts, whose Ashes debut has turned into a nightmare.
The new day brought no improvement, with Potts immediately smashed for three consecutive fours by a ruthless Head. England persisted with short-ball tactics — even to Neser — and it almost paid off when Head skied Carse to deep midwicket, only for Jacks to drop a sitter, taking his eyes off the ball as he appeared distracted by the nearby boundary cushion.
Not only did it prove costly, but Jacks then endured the further ignominy of mocked cheers from Australian fans every time he fielded thereafter.
Head enjoyed another reprieve in the next over when Carse dropped a more difficult chance at deep third, leaving Potts even more aggrieved.
For all their focus on bowling short, Carse finally removed Neser with a superb outswinger that was caught behind, ending a 72-run partnership.
Potts’ misery deepened when Head brought up his century off the seamer by launching him into the crowd. Head attempted to rein himself in thereafter, having not quite recaptured his formidable rhythm from the previous day, while Smith began in scratchy fashion.
Capping a forgettable morning for England, Smith was dropped again at leg slip by Crawley, who failed to cling on to a sharp chance to his left, denying Josh Tongue another wicket. Jacks’ woes continued when he could not hold a fierce return catch from Head in the final over before lunch.
Head eyed a maiden double century, but his hoodoo of falling between 150 and 175 continued shortly after the interval when he missed a premeditated sweep and was trapped lbw by Bethell, with his review proving unsuccessful.
After allowing Head his moment in the sun as he acknowledged the crowd, Khawaja stepped onto the field to a loud ovation, but the game then entered a rare lull for this series.
Khawaja and Smith batted watchfully, with Ben Stokes pushing his battered body through a lion-hearted spell with the old ball. Given he had been the most consistent and threatening bowler in an inexperienced attack, it was curious that Stokes chose not to rest until the second new ball.
Potts and Carse, having struggled earlier, were handed the second new ball, which did offer some swing as Australia closed in on England’s first-innings total.
Khawaja made just 10 from his first 40 deliveries before briefly winding back the clock with a gorgeous straight drive off Potts. England again appeared to be unravelling, with Carse curiously bowling over the wicket despite Khawaja’s last 12 dismissals to right-arm pace having come from around the wicket.
Khawaja then missed another full toss from Carse and unwisely opted for a review, with ball-tracking confirming it was hitting the bottom of middle stump. The crowd rose once more, but there was no grand wave of the bat, and time will tell whether Khawaja bats again in Test cricket.
Alex Carey looked in glorious touch before, on 16, glancing Tongue to leg slip — the third time in four innings he has been dismissed in that fashion. Cameron Green, batting at No. 8, arrived under significant pressure after repeatedly failing to convert starts.
Green began well, driving beautifully and pulling Stokes into the crowd as he moved swiftly to 37. But critics will again be vocal after he threw his wicket away, spooning a short Carse delivery straight to deep square leg.
Beau Webster, often competing with Green for a place, looked composed on his Ashes debut as he and Smith ensured England’s weary bowlers will have to back up for a third consecutive day. (ESPNcricinfo)
