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- Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test, Day 3 highlights: Australia 518/7 at stumps, lead England by 134 runs vs England
Australia vs England 5th Ashes Test, Day 3 highlights: Australia 518/7 at stumps, lead England by 134 runs vs England
By stumps on day four at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the tourists were 302-8 with Bethell not out 142 and Matthew Potts yet to score.
The 22-year-old Bethell saved the day after Zak Crawley fell early and veteran Joe Root cheaply, powering to his hundred in style off 162 balls.
But wickets tumbled around him with Harry Brook (42) and Will Jacks (0) removed in the space of three balls by the off-spin of Beau Webster two overs after Bethell reached the landmark.
A calamitous mix-up then saw Jamie Smith (24) run out.
Ben Stokes (1) came in at seven after limping off clutching what appeared to be his groin while bowling the third over of the day, but only lasted five balls with Webster again doing the damage.
England are desperate for another morale-boosting win after victory in the previous Test at Melbourne. Australia lead 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes.
Remarkably, it was not just Bethell's maiden Test ton but the only one he has scored in red-ball cricket, with his previous best 96 against New Zealand.
Bethell was recalled for Melbourne to replace the under-performing Ollie Pope, scoring a gritty 40 in difficult batting conditions with the number three position now his to lose.
His exploits came after the hosts were dismissed for 567 before lunch on the back of Travis Head's 163 and 138 from skipper Steve Smith.
That left England chasing a 183-run deficit after their first innings 384.
- Starc strikes early -
They needed a solid start, but chief tormentor Mitchell Starc once again conjured up a first-over breakthrough -- his 29th wicket for the series.
The pace spearhead delivered a beautiful inswinger that Crawley misjudged and left, with the ball smacking his pads and he was out lbw for one.
Fellow opener Ben Duckett was dropped on 38, but failed to capitalise and was bowled by Michael Neser on 42, his highest score in a wretched series.
Root, fresh from his first innings 160, was terrorised by Starc and Neser.
He finally fell lbw after facing 37 balls for his six runs to the relentless Scott Boland, with the 35-year-old trudging off dejected.
But Bethell proved unmovable.
A single off Neser overhauled Australia's lead soon after tea and the youngster passed three figures emphatically with a cracking boundary through midwicket.
But Webster then swung the momentum back to Australia with his double strike, trapping Brook lbw before Jacks inexplicably holed out to Cameron Green in the deep.
Smith's run-out compounded England's problems, the wicketkeeper-batsman setting off for a single but sent back by Bethell and caught well short by Jake Weatherald's throw.
Stokes edged Webster to Smith in the slips with Brydon Carse doing the same off Boland on 16.
Australia resumed at 518-7, with Smith on 129 after his 13th Ashes century -- more than any other player except the legendary Don Bradman -- and Webster on 42.
Smith flogged Stokes through the covers for a boundary in his first over, while Webster dished out similar treatment to Carse.
But the Australia skipper did not last long, nicking a fuller length delivery from Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Webster reached a fifth half-century in his eighth Test with a single and put on 20 with Starc before the big paceman was bowled by Tongue for five.
Boland suffered a golden duck to leave Webster unbeaten on 71.
Tongue ended with 3-97 and Carse 3-130.
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, Edged but short! Nagging length in the channel, just nibbling away. Labuschagne leans on to drive but gets an outside edge that goes down and on the bounce to the gully fielder.
- Marnus Labuschagne 23 (33)
- Travis Head 58 (58)
Matthew Potts to Marnus Labuschagne, Potts keeps the length full and bowls it around off, Labuschagne forces the dirve to the left of mid off and gets across for the single.
Matthew Potts to Marnus Labuschagne, FOUR! Oh, that is glorious from Marnus. Full and outside off, just too full again, Labuschagne leans on and punches it into the turf, nailing it just to the right of extra cover for a boundary.
Matthew Potts to Marnus Labuschagne, Good-length delivery, in and around off, angling in, Marnus Labuschagne leans on and blocks it under the eyes.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, Back of a length and around off, Head rocks back and punches it wide of point for a single. The 100 is now up for Australia.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, On a good length around off, Head leans across and drives the ball away square through the off side for a couple of runs.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, FOUR! That's too easy for Travis Head. Potts erred on the short side in his first spell and he now begins by erring on the fuller side. Full and straight, Head leans on and rolls the wrists, punching the ball straight back down the ground and to the right of long on for a boundary.
- Marnus Labuschagne 18 (30)
- Travis Head 51 (55)
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, On a length around off, Marnus Labuschagne punches this to cover for no run. A maiden from Brydon Carse.
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length on the pads, Marnus Labuschagne tucks this to square leg.
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, Back of a length, wide of off, Marnus Labuschagne shoulders his arms at it.
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length around off, Marnus Labuschagne defends this out.
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, BAck of a length on off, Marnus Labuschagne looks to punchs this off his front foot but ends up chipping this uppish but just short of the bowler to his left.
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, Hard length, wide of off, Marnus Labuschagne leaves it.
- Marnus Labuschagne 18 (24)
- Travis Head 51 (55)
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Short and on leg, Marnus Labuschagne dabs this to fine leg for one.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Hard length, going down the leg. Marnus Labuschagne shoulders his arms at it and gets it clipped off the thigh pad to the keeper.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Full and wide outside off, Marnus Labuschagne leaves it all alone.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length, into the batter, around off, Marnus Labuschagne defends this off his front foot.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Back of a length, around the pads, Marnus Labuschagne steps inside and leaves it. This kept climbing on the batter and wasn't far from getting an edge off Marnus.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length, wide of off, Marnus Labuschagne shoulders his arms at it.
- Travis Head 51 (55)
- Marnus Labuschagne 17 (18)
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, FOUR! That's authoritative from Head as he reaches another half-century. Good length around middle and off, Travis Head takes a baby step out in the front and then hops onto his back foot as he punches this through the cover-point region for four more runs to bring up his half-century.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, FOUR! FLIRTING WITH DANGER AS HE ALWAYS DOES IS TRAVIS! Good length around off, Travis Head leans back and throws his bat at it. Gets it edged off the outside through the left of Jacob Bethell at gully and the ball has raced to the fence at the third man region for four runs.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, On a length around off, Travis Head flicks this crisply on the bounce to mid off.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Good length around off, Travis Head defends this off his front foot to mid off.
Brydon Carse to Marnus Labuschagne, Another low full toss, this time on off of Marnus Labuschagne. The batter presses in front and drives this through the mid off region for three runs.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Low full toss, on the pads, Travis Head flicks this through mid-wicket for one.
- Marnus Labuschagne 14 (17)
- Travis Head 42 (50)
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Hard length, around off, Marnus Labuschagne keeps it out.
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, Good length around off, Travis Head leans over it and punches this from the outer half of the bat through the right of Brydon Carse at mid off for three this time around.
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, FOUR! Travis Head keeps finding the fence. Pitched up, around off, Travis Head strides to the pitch of the delivery and drives this all along the carpet through the cover region for a boundary.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length, down the leg, Marnus Labuschagne flicks this to fine leg for one.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length, on off, Marnus Labuschagne edges this from the face of his bat through extra cover for two runs.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, NO BALL! Ben Stokes has overstepped and it is a no-ball. This was full and wide of off, Marnus Labuschagne drives this to point.
Ben Stokes to Marnus Labuschagne, Full and wide of off, Marnus Labuschagne leaves it all alone.
- Travis Head 35 (48)
- Marnus Labuschagne 11 (12)
Josh Tongue to Travis Head, Good length around off, Travis Head hops up on his toes and blocks this out.
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, Hard length, wide of off, Marnus Labuschagne rocks back inside the crease and pushes this to short cover and takes a quick single.
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, On a length, shaping back into the batter. Marnus Labuschagne edges this off his inside onto the pads.
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length around off, Marnus Labuschagne gets right behind it and blocks it out.
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, FOUR! Josh Inglis errs in line and gets punished. Back of a length around the pads, Marnus Labuschagne flicks this through the backward square leg region for a boundary.
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, Good length, around off, Marnus Labuschagne leaves it all alone.
- Travis Head 35 (47)
- Marnus Labuschagne 6 (7)
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, Short pitched, around leg, Travis Head looks to help this over short fine leg but swings early and gets it dabbed into the deck off his gloves. A maiden by Ben Stokes.
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, On a length around off, Travis Head rolls this to mid on for no run.
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, Ben hits the hard length, landing around off and shaping back into the batter. Travis Head goes for the flick and misses.
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, Around that nagging length, around off, shaping away from the batter. Travis Head pushes this to point for no run.
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, Short pitched, around off. Travis Head bails out.
Ben Stokes to Travis Head, Yorker, on off, Travis Head defends this back to the bowler.
- Marnus Labuschagne 6 (7)
- Travis Head 35 (41)
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, Hard length, on middle and off. Marnus Labuschagne jams this down.
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, Full and wide of off, Marnus Labuschagne slices this towards the right of gully. The fielder just gets fingertips onto it and the ball goes through for two.
Josh Tongue to Marnus Labuschagne, FOUR! Marnus Labuschagne is away with a boundary. On a length, slanting down the leg, Marnus Labuschagne comes inside the line of it and flicks this groundd through the mid-wicket region for a boundary.
Josh Tongue to Travis Head, Good length down the leg, Travis Head tucks this to deep mid-wicket for one.
Josh Tongue to Travis Head, Back of a length around off, Travis Head cuts this on the bounce to point.
Josh Tongue to Travis Head, On a length around off, shaping away from the batter. Travis Head defends this off his front foot.
Match Statistics
Venue
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney
