NEW DELHI:
Joe Root produced a commanding 160 to lift England to 384 in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Monday, but Australia struck back late in the day as Travis Head tore into the attack with a blazing unbeaten 91 to drag the hosts firmly back into the contest.
Root’s masterful knock — his 41st Test century, drawing him level with Ricky Ponting — finally ended when Michael Neser pulled off a superb caught-and-bowled, the seamer finishing with figures of 4 for 60.
Set the task of navigating the final session on day two at a packed Sydney Cricket Ground, Australia did so with confidence despite losing Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne. By stumps, the hosts had surged to 166 for 2, with Head dominating proceedings and nightwatchman Neser unbeaten on one at the other end.
Weatherald, under scrutiny after a string of modest returns since his debut in Perth, again failed to silence the critics. He was reprieved twice in quick succession — first by Root and then by Ben Duckett — before Ben Stokes eventually pinned him lbw for 21.
Head, however, was in imperious touch. The left-hander, who like Root has already struck two centuries in the series, immediately seized the initiative, smashing three boundaries in the second over from Matthew Potts, drafted in for the injured Gus Atkinson. There was no respite thereafter as Head powered to a rapid half-century from just 55 deliveries.
Labuschagne also looked fluent, collecting seven boundaries before a thick edge off Stokes flew to Jacob Bethell in the gully for 48.
Australia, already assured of retaining the Ashes with a 3-1 lead, ended the day in a strong position, while England, buoyed by their Melbourne triumph, were left searching for another breakthrough to keep the contest alive.
- Root joins Ponting -England resumed at 211-3 but lost Harry Brook (84), Stokes (0) and Jamie Smith (46) before lunch.
Will Jacks (27), Brydon Carse (1) and Josh Tongue (0), along with Root, departed in the second session.
The day belonged to Root, who started on 72 and reached an almost chanceless century off 146 balls to reaffirm his status as an all-time great.
The 35-year-old had begun the series under pressure after failing to make a hundred in Australia over three previous Ashes tours.
He snapped the drought with an unbeaten 138 in the day-night Test at Brisbane and his exploits in Sydney drew him level third with Australia's Ponting on the all-time century-makers' list, with 41.
Only India's Sachin Tendulkar (51) and South Africa's Jacques Kallis (45) have scored more Test centuries.
Root and Brook came together with England in trouble at 57-3 on Sunday, with both eyeing big centuries on an ideal batting deck.
But Brook only lasted five balls on Monday, adding six to his overnight 78 before dabbing at a Scott Boland delivery and edging into the safe hands of Steve Smith at slip.
It ended a 169-run partnership, not just England's best of the series but the biggest by either team, surpassing Head and Alex Carey's 162 in Adelaide.
Stokes only survived 11 balls before getting the faintest of edges off Mitchell Starc to Carey.
Jamie Smith lived dangerously and was fortunate to survive after chipping Cameron Green to Labuschagne at cover on 22. He began walking off but replays showed Green overstepped and it was a no-ball.
He added another 24 before medium-pacer Labuschagne bagged him in his first over.
The run rate slowed significantly after lunch when the new ball was taken, but Root persisted, passing 150 for a 17th time, just one behind the legendary Don Bradman and three short of Tendulkar.
He and Jacks put on 52 for the seventh wicket until Jacks sent a leading edge to Green in the gully off Neser. Root was ninth man out and Tongue followed without any addition to the score.
(With inputs from AFP) Get the latest
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