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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.
Matthew Potts to Jake Weatherald, A bit fuller on leg, angling across, Weatherald looks to flick but gets a faint inside edge onto the back pad.
Matthew Potts to Jake Weatherald, That's more like it from Potts. On a hard length again, on middle and angled across. Weatherald'e feet stay stuck to the crease and he has a poke at it but gets beaten past the outside edge.
Matthew Potts to Jake Weatherald, Potts switches to over the wicket and hits a hard length bowling it around middle and leg. Weatherald stays coruched and nudges it across to square leg.
- Travis Head 21 (19)
- Jake Weatherald 5 (11)
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Back of a length and on leg, slanted across, Head hops up and taps it down the deck.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Pitched up on off stump, angling away, Head walks inside the line and plays it on the up to mid off.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Fractionally short again and outside off, Head hangs back and things out going after the ball again, but opts to leave it alone in the end.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, FOUR! The English pacers are just feeding Travis Head with his favorite food right now. Short and well wide outside off, Head stays leg side of the ball, stretches to get to the ball and smacks it down through point for a boundary.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Back of a length again, straighter this time, Weatherald rocks back to pull but gets an inside edge onto the body and the ball rolls down into the off side. Thistime, Head calls him through for the single and they make it with ease.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Back of a length, angled across off, Weatherald gets up on his toes, reaches out and taps it down to backward point. Jake looks for the single but he won't get it.
- Travis Head 17 (15)
- Jake Weatherald 4 (9)
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, FOUR! That's ordinary bowling and stylishly done once again by Travis Head, 14 off that over. Short of a length and outside off, Head stays put and fetches the ball before lifting one leg and hoicking the pull through backward square leg for another boundary.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, Potts needs to pitch it further up. This is on a hard length on middle, Head nudges it across to mid-wicket.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, FOUR! That's a great shot. Just back of a length and in the channel, Head presses back and punches it away square past the point region and picks up another boundary.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, Head doesn't quite get all of it. Another short ball from Potts, outside off and gets this one in at almost shoulder height. Travis pulls it off the back foot but clubs it over the mid-wicket region for a couple of runs.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, FOUR! Nicely played. Short of a length and around off, just around chest height. Travis Head stays on the back foot and angles the pull away past square leg and picks up a boundary.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, Shorter and dug in over middle, Head hops back and defends it down the pitch, just to the leg side.
- Jake Weatherald 4 (9)
- Travis Head 3 (9)
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Carse dishes out a full and wide ball, Weatherald reaches out to squeeze it away but the ball sneaks under the blade.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Nice and full on middle, stylishly clipped away but straight to short mid-wicket.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Back of a length and on off, shaping back in, Weatherald gets cramped for room and awkwardly fends it away.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Oh, that's well bowled and Weatherald is getting into some very awkward positions. Dug in a bit short at over 140 clicks and this one angles back in with extra bounce. Weatherald sets to hit it either through point or mid-wicket and gets taken aback, almost getting a blow to the helmet.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, On a hard length, lands it on middle and gets it to nip back in with extra bounce. Weatherald is in no position to play at it and just wears it above the thigh pad.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, FOUR! Finally, Jake Weatherald gets that cut shot away. Back of a length and just angled across off, Weatherald hangs back and forces the shot well behind point and gets going with a boundary.
- Travis Head 3 (9)
- Jake Weatherald 0 (3)
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, On a good length over off and middle stump, Head blocks it down the line.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, Oh, a mishit from Head but he gets away with it. Shortish length over middle, Travis Head gets into a tangle and half pulls it off the top edge over the mid-wicket region for a couple of runs.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, Back of a length and around off, Travis gets up on his toes and nudges it down towards cover-point.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, On a fuller length and angled into middle, Head clips it across to mid-wicket.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, On a good length and around off, Head leans across a bit and stabs it down to point.
Matthew Potts to Travis Head, Begins with a shorter length ball and bangs it in down leg, Travis Head sways away rom the line of the ball.
Matthew Potts to operate from the other end.
- Jake Weatherald 0 (3)
- Travis Head 1 (3)
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Another play and a miss to end the first over. Full of a good length and just around off, Weatherald hangs back to cut but gets beaten as the ball shapes back in a bit.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Half an appeal for LBW but it is turned down. Pitched up fuller around leg stump, Jake Weatherald looks to flick but misses and gets struck on the pads. The ball rolls just behind square leg and Jake looks for the single with Travis Head ball watching. Jake turns back and lukily for him, the throw at the keeper's end is wide.
Brydon Carse to Jake Weatherald, Oh, that's a loose shot from Jake. Hard-length delivery, very close to the off stump, Jake Weatherald stays put and looks to cut close to the body but is beaten.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Hard length again, this time on the pads, shovelled down to long leg for a single by Travis Head and Australia are underway.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, On a hard length and on middle, angling across the left-hander. Head watchfully defends.
Brydon Carse to Travis Head, Carse begind back of a length and angles it across off, Travis Head hangs back and punches it down to point.
Joe Root 138*, Will Jacks 3*
England were 170/3
Harry Brook 54*
Joe Root 55*
The day began with a tribute to first responders following the recent Bondi mass shooting that claimed 15 lives, drawing loud applause when hero Ahmed Al Ahmed — who confronted one of the attackers — was acknowledged.
Crawley soon followed, trapped plumb lbw by Neser. Although he reviewed the decision, it was always heading for dismissal, leaving England 51 for 2 by the first drinks break.
Bethell endured a cautious stay, taking 15 deliveries to score his first run and never appearing settled. He was dismissed for 10 after pushing at a moving ball from Boland, edging faintly to Carey as England slipped to 57 for 3.
England, meanwhile, made a solitary change, bringing in seamer Matthew Potts for the injured Gus Atkinson.
England’s top order struggled early, with Ben Duckett (27), Zak Crawley (16) and Jacob Bethell (10) all dismissed. Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser and Scott Boland shared the wickets for Australia.
The visitors entered the match buoyed by a four-wicket victory inside two days in the previous Test in Melbourne, eager to build on the momentum. The win ended a 15-year drought in Australia but came too late to salvage the series, with the hosts having already retained the urn through victories in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Match Statistics
Venue
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Sydney
