07 January,2026 08:20 AM IST | Sydney | Agencies
Australia opener Travis Head after scoring his century against England; (right) Australia skipper Steve Smith celebrates his ton in Sydney on Tuesday. Pics/Getty Images
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 Day Three of the fifth and final Ashes Test here.
Head resumed on 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.
At stumps, Australia were 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. The pace of the wicket sort of suits the way I play, and I just love playing in front of this crowd," he added.
The 32-year-old Head has been superb since moving to the top of the order in the second innings of the first Test in Perth due to Khawaja's back injury. "I've enjoyed it, it's been good and very pleased to be able to contribute the way I have here," Head said after hitting a 12th Test century.
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 at the ground where he made his Test debut 15 years ago, and he departed also to a standing ovation.
Seven
No. of 50-plus run stands for Australia in the ongoing Test - the second-most in any Test innings and the most in an Ashes innings
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